The 5th Kingdom of Remnant
by ReaperKen
Summary: What if there was another kingdom in the world of Remnant? A kingdom that is more technologically advanced than Atlas by light years? It's team RWBY's final year in Beacon Academy when a new team transfers from Haven Academy with suspicion and mystery surrounding them. Can the young Hunters and Huntresses face mankind's worst nightmare? Rated M for later on.
1. A New Team

**A/N: A little side note before we begin, three out of the four characters of our new team are inspired characters! Of course, they have different backgrounds, slight personality changes, abilities, etc. to fit in the RWBY world. They may seem Mary Sue/Overpowered but they do have repercussions and all powers will be explained! For those who know the characters they are inspired from, don't worry!**

**Update 8/30/15 – I'm really sorry for the long delay! College has started and i'm looking for part-time jobs. I've also been lazy at editing my chapters, but I have been writing! My releases might be farther apart than usual, but they will be released! I'll see you guys on the next chapter or the next update! Read, Review, have fun!**

* * *

"Yang, look, it's Beacon!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing at the amazing campus for Hunters and Huntresses.

Yang looked out the windows of the large transport airship with Ruby as Beacon Academy came into view. The blonde brawler couldn't wait for their final year to end. Team RWBY is so close to fulfilling their dreams of becoming certified Huntresses and the sisters' excitement couldn't be contained any longer. The eager Ruby couldn't wait to be back at Beacon with her friends and teammates, ready to show off her skills that she learned during her summer vacation.

The two sisters spent their summer in their hometown, Patch, with their father and Uncle Qrow. Ruby spent most of her time training with Qrow, the scythe-wielding uncle teaching his scythe-wielding niece everything he knew. As expected, many trees were hurt in the process of their training.

Yang was mostly there to cheer up their father. He had improved emotionally over the years, but it still hurt. Especially when watching Ruby learning how to fight. If Ruby or Yang ended up like Summer, he wouldn't know what to do. Their father was also the only one of the few people who liked Yang's puns, too.

The blonde Huntress moved away from the windows and turned her attention to the Vale News Network. Ever since they stopped Cinder, Roman, and the White Fang's plans during the end of their first year, Beacon had a major security upgrade when it came to transfer students and students visiting for the Vytal festival. Yang wasn't too worried about them, though. In fact, she wanted them to show up again so she can get a rematch with the girl named Neo.

The large airship came to a stop in front of the landing platform and students began to flood out of it. Ruby and Yang walked down Main Avenue, towards the statue of Beacon. The younger sister bounced around, her eyes darting back and forth, inspecting the new student's weapons from a far. The silver-eyed Huntress then spotted a certain white-haired heiress and bolted to her, leaving her older sister in the dust.

Weiss was talking with Blake about how they spent the summer break. Coincidentally, they were spending their vacation at the same place in Mistral. Blake was spending time with her boyfriend Sun and Weiss with Neptune. Both couples ran into each other at the same hotel near the beaches of Mistral. Suffice to say, it was rather awkward since this particular place is known to be a love hotel.

Yang caught up with Ruby as she almost inadvertently tackled Weiss to the floor with her speed. Ruby pulled the startled Weiss, the confused Blake, and the taller sister into a group hug, a huge grin on her face.

"This is it! The final year for TEEAAAMM RWBY!" Ruby cheered loudly into their ears. Yang fist pumped into the air with a large smile while Weiss just rolled her eyes. Blake slightly winced in pain. Having Faunus ears next to a loud Ruby wasn't the best thing she can hope for in the morning.

Weiss struggled out of the group hug and instructed her servants to bring her things to their dorm room. "If you guys are done, we need to unpack and get ready for classes. Professor Ozpin's speech to the first years is almost over and I don't want to be late to class on the first day of the semester…_again_." The heiress looked at Ruby when she emphasized the word 'again,' remembering their first day of class at Beacon.

Team RWBY picked up their luggage and dragged them to their dorm room. They didn't bring a lot of things since they would only be gone for three months. The team had the same room for four years now, so they doubted they would get a room change. They walked into their room, the same poster of Achieve men still up and the stitched up curtains from Ruby still hanging.

Blake opened the window to let the air in while everyone unpacked. Her eyes wandered around the courtyard, taking in the blissful atmosphere that Beacon provided. The cat Faunus' keen eyes then spotted Glynda Goodwitch and four other students who she didn't recognize. Normally, she would just ignore it, assuming they were new students that required a tour. Yet, something about one of the students caught the cat Faunus' attention.

Yang finished drying her golden hair when she noticed Blake staring out the window. She came behind her partner and put one arm around Blake's shoulders.

"What are you looking at?" Yang's eyes followed her gaze and looked over to the student that caught her attention. The blonde Huntress didn't see it at first but her eyes widened when she did.

Yang turned around to look at Ruby and Weiss, who were arguing about switching beds with one another. "Ruby, Weiss! Check this out!"

The two stopped arguing and walked over to the window. Yang pointed at the group of students following Professor Goodwitch. The two Huntresses tilted their heads, wondering what was special about them when their eyes fell upon a Faunus with a particular trait. A trait that no one thought could be possible in his or her life.

Ruby, Weiss, and Yang were amazed at her appearance and distinctive features. The student had wings near her hips and a blue, floating halo above her head. She looked like a real angel. They couldn't tell if their eyes were playing tricks with their mind, but by the look on Blake's face, she was the real deal. The reactions of everyone who were staring at the student were also telling.

"Hey, Blake, she is a Faunus right?" Ruby asked as Professor Goodwitch and the four students left their view. The three members turned to Blake, who had a scowl on her face. Blake's teammates have seen that expression from her before. She gave that glare to anyone who didn't believe in Faunus equality and would do anything to stop it. It was also a face she would give to Cardin every time he bullied a Faunus around her.

Blake sighed and her stoic face returned. "Yeah, she is. I can't tell what kind of Faunus she is though. I haven't seen a winged Faunus in person before." They stared at her worryingly, hoping she would explain the scowl.

Blake untied her bow, letting her cat ears free. She walked over to the closet that she shared with Yang and picked out a new bow for her to use. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's just bad blood between Faunus during the Faunus Rights Revolution. It's in the past." She assured them. "Ruby, when does Dueling 404 start?"

Ruby looked at the schedule and began to panic. "It's in five minutes!"

"Ruby, you dolt!" Weiss scolded while the entire team frantically put on their uniforms and accessories. They rushed out of the room, running to the Amphitheater.

* * *

"I can't...believe...this happened again!" Weiss managed to get out in between gasps of air in front of the Amphitheater. Team RWBY took a few seconds to catch their breaths before opening the door. They were greeted by loud conversations from their classmates and quick glances. The team walked towards their usual spot in the bleachers, finding Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren in their combat gear, talking amongst themselves.

Jaune turned around and gave Ruby a high five as they walked in front of them. "At least Team JNPR made it on time." Yang noted, plopping down on her seat.

"It was thanks to Ren. I let him handle the team's schedule for our last year. I didn't want a repeat of the first year in Beacon." Jaune sheepishly admitted.

The two friendly teams began talking about their summer vacations and future plans when Weiss spoke up a few minutes later. "It's ten minutes past the beginning of class. Professor Goodwitch is never late."

"Maybe she got hungry and decided to have pancakes!" Nora chimed in with glee. Ren sighed when hearing the word pancakes. Ren and Nora spent their summer together with their families. They've been childhood friends and their families were quite close. It wasn't a surprise to find out that they started dating after the first semester of their second year.

"Nora, I doubt she would be late for pancakes." Ren claimed, deadpanned. Nora giggled and leaned into Ren's arms. The orange-haired Valkyrie always liked being in his arms, the warmth radiating off him and keeping her warm. "She may still be conversing with the new students of Beacon."

The red-haired Huntress interjected, remembering the rumors going around the classroom and in the school. "Did you hear about the new transfer students? Apparently one of them has wings and a halo."

"Wings and a halo? Ooooooo, maybe she's an angel!" Nora drew a simple angel in her notebook and showed everyone with a grin. Ruby chuckled at the drawing, missing Nora's silliness.

"Blake says she's a Faunus, but she doesn't know which." Yang pointed out, shrugging. "Apparently there was some 'bad blood' between winged Faunus and non-winged Faunus."

Before Pyrrha can let them know the reason, since she read a few books about it and discussed it with Professor Oobleck, Goodwitch entered the Amphitheater with Scroll in hand. The four students who were following her came in as well. They immediately became the center of attention as they waited on the raised stage.

Professor Goodwitch cleared her throat and addressed the class. "My apologies, class. The tour I was giving to these four students took longer than I anticipated. They are new transfer students from Haven Academy."

The class began to whisper amongst themselves when Haven Academy was mentioned. Once everyone found out about Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury infiltrating the school and using Haven Academy as their cover up, every student who transferred from Haven were immediately deemed suspicious. Although, it wouldn't last more than a day or two thanks to their security upgrade.

"Settle down. We made sure to thoroughly check their backgrounds this time. As far as we know, they are not part of the White Fang or any terrorist organization. Be kind to them as they will be with you for your last year at Beacon. They are known as Team ANJN (Àn Jīn)." Goodwitch turned and gestured them to introduce themselves to the class.

The first member of their team stepped up. He was wearing a black V-neck shirt, black leather pants, and an expensive white jacket with fur around the collar. The young man stood tall and dignified with golden hair standing up like a blazing flame. He is handsome with an elegant face and his eyes, crimson like blood, gave off a gaze that can pierce your very soul. The man's demeanor is the very definition of power, able to intimidate anyone who stood against him. "My name is Archer Eiyu. Let us see if this school can offer me a challenge." He arrogantly announced.

The second member of the mysterious team stepped up. Unlike Archer, he didn't give off an aura of perfection. Rather, he emanated blissful serenity that balanced out Archer's fearful intimidation. His hair was jet black and spiked up. His eyes are dark violet and his armor is black as night. He wore metal shoulder, forearm, and leg armor with a tasset belt. The young man also wore black linen clothing under the armor, showing little to no skin on his body. A large claymore was on his back and a golden object hung from the tasset belt. "Nova Malthael. It's a pleasure to be here." He calmly grinned.

The next person was the center of attention of the entire class, if not the entire school. She has long, ultra-pink hair which extended down to her hips. Her eyes were gold with purple pupils and a purple ring around the iris. Her wings were white as snow and seemed to conceal how long they truly are. She wore a long, yellow skirt that parted at the front and back, showing off her legs. The winged Faunus also wore pink backless crop top that exposed her midriff and the side of her breasts, leaving nothing for imagination. Two strange tattoos could be seen on her left arm and thigh, the arm tattoo being found on the left side of her crop top as well. "My name is Jibril Artosh. Call me whatever you wish to call me, but please refrain from using the term Angel." She closed her eyes and bowed.

The last person stepped up with his arms and hands limp on his sides. His face was expressionless and his clear-blue eyes were devoid of emotion. He was wearing Beacon Academy's uniform and carrying a silver colored briefcase. The young man seemed like the only normal one on the team, his presence being overshadowed by his teammates. "Noir Ryuuya."

Everyone in the class began to analyze the four new students. They all had different first impressions, though most of them can agree that the first student, Archer, may be another Cardin Winchester. A richer, more battle ready version of him. Professor Goodwitch instructed them to go into the stands with the rest of their classmates as she began to take attendance.

Nova and Noir walked towards the stairs. Jibril and Archer, however, made their way up unconventionally. The winged Faunus extended her wings, its wingspan tripling her height. She wrapped one arm around Archer's waist and grinned. She jumped off the raised stage and flew up to the stands. The class was in shock and awe at Jibril. She looked elegant as she flew in the air, passing over the sun that shone through the open roof of the Amphitheater. Jibril gently landed and let go of Archer. He wrapped one arm around her and kissed her on the lips, which broke the hearts of a few admirers in the class.

"They seem like an interesting bunch." Yang pointed out to the group, staring at the four new classmates.

"I agree. It seems that Archer comes from a wealthy family as well. Even I would flinch at the cost of his clothes." Weiss tried to figure out if she has heard the family name, Eiyu, before. Someone as wealthy as him should be well known in the kingdoms of Remnant.

"Oh, I can't wait to see how strong they are! I wonder what kind of weapon is in the briefcase." Ruby thought out loud. Three years later and her love for weapons never diminished. She was excited to learn more about them through their weapons and fighting styles. Nova's weapons and armor reminded her of team CFVY's Yatsuhashi. Team CFVY graduated last year and they were stationed near the walls to help clear out Grimm and expand Vale territory. Velvet sometimes visited campus, though it was a rare occurrence.

What threw her off, however, was the golden object hanging from his tasset belt. It didn't seem to belong to him at all. It wasn't a something that she has seen before. Its grip was surrounded by golden shapes and contraptions that she assumed would protect the hand, but it was completely unbalanced and flashy. The guard that separated the hilt and the blade was a large circle that was bigger than the contraptions on the grip. The blade itself was blunt and thick. It had a rectangular shape with holes all around it. Some were rectangular, others were circular. It could hardly be called a weapon.

Professor Goodwitch began calling people up to have sparring matches. Everyone was ready to go and show off to his or her classmates. Since they were now seniors, many of the sparring matches were a lot more 'fun' and realistic. Goodwitch introduced two versus two, four versus four, free-for-all, and depending on the occasion, Team Capture the Flag outside in the Emerald Forest. Teams RWBY and JNPR improved immensely since their entrance to Beacon. Even team CRDL improved their fighting ability and miraculously, their attitude, though not by much.

* * *

Pyrrha and Nora were helping each other up the stairs after their match ended. Pyrrha came out victorious in the match up, though Nora knew all of Pyrrha's tricks and what her semblance was. Even if Nora couldn't land a hit with Magnhild, she did use her momentum to land a few hard kicks and back hands.

"Damn, I almost had you! If only Magnhild wasn't made of metal! Maybe I can make a wooden Magnhild? Then I'm sure that I can win!" Nora cheered optimistically. Ren and Jaune came to their aid, helping their partners and loved ones back to their seats.

Pyrrha kissed Jaune on the cheek and sat down on the bleachers. "Thanks for the help, Jaune. Though I don't think you should be walking either." She pointed down at his shin, which was wrapped up in a bandage.

Jaune had a sparring match with Blake before theirs where the cat Faunus miscalculated Jaune's movements. During the match, she swung her pistol at him, though instead of the ribbon wrapping around his legs, it hit him right in the shin. His Aura prevented his shinbone from being snapped in half, but it still hurt like hell. Poor Jaune had to limp away in defeat with the help of Blake. At this point, though, his Aura would have healed the injury.

"Nice work, girls. We have time for one more match. Any volunteers?" Goodwitch requested, inputting the match data into her Scroll. Weiss stood up and raised her hand. Goodwitch approved and Weiss began to walk down to the stage. "Let's see…Nova, would you like to be Weiss' opponent?"

Nova nodded and unhooked the golden object from his tasset belt. He handed it to Jibril and began walking down. The class was curious to see how strong team ANJN was. Team RWBY and JNPR were on a different league compared to the rest of the class at this point of their school career, so usually they would only fight each other or be put in a handicap matches. Being paired with Weiss already spoke to their strength.

Weiss unsheathed Myrtenaster and got into her stance. Nova drew his large claymore from his back with one hand and awaited the signal to begin. Their fighting stances were almost the exact same, the only difference being Nova was holding a large claymore. Their blades were extended out in front of them, their bodies stood straight up, right foot forward and all.

The Heiress' light blue eyes trailed up and down Nova, wondering how he could fight in that kind of stance. A large weapon will slow down your movements and attack speed. She can use her speed and agility to out maneuver him. Strategies began to formulate in her mind, planning every possible attempt and situation that can happen.

Goodwitch started the clock on the monitor above them and took a step back, making room for the two fighters. "Begin."

Weiss didn't spend any time and created a glyph under her feet. It boosted her speed as she lunged forward. The Dust chamber spun and Myrtenaster's blade began glow with a yellow tint with sparks flying out of it. This would guarantee that her first hit would stagger because of the electricity that flowed through the blade. He brought the claymore up, using the flat side of the claymore to block the attack.

_Got you…wait, what?_ She thought, watching his movements.

What surprised the heiress was when her rapier connected with the claymore, Nova didn't flinch or stagger. It caught her and the spectators off guard. Myrtenaster pushed the claymore past Nova and it flew off the stage. Before she can react, Nova's hand was around her wrist and his knuckles connected with her throat.

Nova changed his grip on her wrist and pulled her in. The hand that jabbed her throat quickly wrapped around her head and slammed her face down on his knee. Thankfully, Weiss' Aura protected her from both of the blows, but she still felt the pain that came with it. She gestured her hand and a blue glyph appeared between them, forcibly separating the two fighters. The Huntress clutched her throat, coughing from the powerful blow she felt. Weiss switched to a defensive stance and quickly tried to assess the situation.

_What just happened? _She thought_ how could he not get electrocuted from that thrust? Did he let go of his claymore right before I connected with it? That must be why it flew off the stage without any resistance. What is he thinking? Since it's out of bounds, he's now forced to fight without his weapon. He should have known that would happen, and he still did it._ Weiss took a deep breath before calming her perplexed mind._ I won't underestimate him. I'll treat this like a match between Yang and I._

She slowed her breathing, formulating another strategy. Unfortunately, Nova didn't give her the time to finish planning. He quickly closed the distance that was created by her glyphs, throwing punches and kicks at the Huntress. Weiss blocked his punches with her rapier and tried to gain as much distance as possible.

She could feel the wind from the force of his jabs as they barely flew past her face. All she needed was a few seconds to create the proper amount of glyphs to beat him, but he wouldn't let her have a chance.

The heiress felt overwhelmed by Nova's quick change of attack patterns. All she could do was block and dodge, only landing one or two hits against him. She needed to do something fast before it was too late.

Weiss did a backflip after dodging one of his punches, kicking him in the chin, and creating enough distance to activate one of her glyphs. Weiss launched herself up in the air using her blue glyph, drawing the attention of the classmates. His dark violet eyes trailed her as she rose up. The Huntress quickly used a red glyph to send herself back down, Myrtenaster accelerating towards her skilled opponent. Nova changed his stance, prepared to counter Weiss when a purple energy shield surrounded him and the white-haired Huntress. The shields collided, stopping both of them from continuing to fight.

"Time's up. This sparring match is over." The Amphitheater was silent, the class in awe because of the amazing fight they just witnessed. It's been a long time since someone from team RWBY was pushed to the limit by someone from the outside. Goodwitch looked at the Aura percentages on the screen above them and was impressed. "It seems that Nova has bested Weiss today. Congratulations. Class dismissed."

"Good fight." Nova walked off the stage and grabbed his claymore off the floor. Weiss, however, didn't reply. She was upset that she lost so badly. The heiress had less than forty percent of her Aura left while Nova had over eighty percent left. Nova only landed a few direct hits, including the punch to the throat and the knee to her forehead. Yet, those few punches and kicks lowered her Aura immensely. Weiss glared at the new transfer student as he left with the rest of his team for their next class.

"Cheer up Weiss! You'll beat him next time!" Ruby assured, trying to cheer her up.

"If it makes you feel any better, even I may have a hard time with him." Yang shrugged.

Weiss turned around and glared at Yang. "No, it doesn't make me feel any better. Let's just head to our next class."

* * *

**A/N: Welcome to my Fanfiction! I hoped you enjoyed! If I missed a spelling or grammar error, please private message me about it. My goal is to reach over 100,000 words and I will complete that!**

**Àn Jīn, if you are wondering, is Dark Gold in Chinese (I used Google Translate, don't quote me on that). It was the only color that seemed relevant that had a J in it in all languages (Available in Google Translate). For this story, only seasons 1 and 2 are going to be canon! No S3 and onwards UNLESS something does happen there that doesn't affect the story, like team RWBY getting even more new outfits. I will definitely add those into the story if it does happen.**

**Any questions, comments, or criticism is welcome, this is my first fanfiction so have at it!**


	2. A Tribute

**A/N: This chapter takes place before the events of the first chapter. I wanted to make this as a tribute to the legendary creator of RWBY. It's a simple chapter with a simple story but here it is.**

* * *

"Reeeeeenn. Ren, wake up!" Nora's face was close to his, her nose only an inch away from his cheek. She held something in her hands, trying not to spill it on the bed.

Ren slowly opened his eyes and groaned, the sunlight barely reaching his face through the curtains of their room. He isn't a morning person and he never will be, but Nora is a polar opposite when it came to that.

"Nora…" He slurred. Ren covered his eyes with his blankets to block the sunlight. "It's Sunday. Can I please sleep in?"

Nora set down her special item on the floor before lifting the blankets up from Ren. "No! I have something _special_ for you!" She cheered, emphasizing the word with a slightly high-pitched sound.

Ren slowly sat up, groaning once more. Nora bent down and lifted up a bed tray. Ren noticed a familiar smell as Nora placed the bed tray on his lap. He looked down to find a plate of Magnhild shaped cookies, two heart shaped pancakes, and a glass of milk.

"I made it just for you! You always make breakfast for me and the team, so I wanted to give something back." Nora stated gleefully, hiding her hands behind her back with a huge grin on her face.

"You didn't have to, but thank you." Ren replied, an appreciative smile dawning on his face. Nora giggled and awaited for Ren to taste her specially made breakfast.

He looked down at his breakfast and began to silently inspect it. As a master of pancake making, Nora's looked well made. The cookies, however, were questionable since it wasn't necessarily a breakfast food. Ren wondered how she could even make the shape of her weapon from cookies in the first place.

He took his knife and cut a piece of the heart shaped pancake. Nora's eyes twinkled in anticipation and awaited for Ren to tell her how great it was.

Unfortunately for Nora, Ren didn't think it was as amazing as she thought it would be. In fact, Ren could definitely tell something crucial was missing when she was making this. He kept his facial expression neutral as always to not upset his girlfriend.

"Well, well, well? Isn't it great! Of course, it's not as amazing as yours, but after watching you make it all the time, I'm sure that it tastes great! I learn from the best! Well, not learn, but watch!" Nora bragged, making random hand gestures to match her dialogue before putting her arms back behind her back.

Ren kept trying to think of what ingredient she forgot to mix in her pancakes when he noticed something on Nora's hands while she boasted. His magenta eyes found a few bandages on her fingers, which could explain why she was trying to hide her hands behind her back.

He assumed that Nora probably spent a long time trying to perfect the pancakes. Ren made a smile, which made Nora giggle since he looked funny with his bed hair. "It's delicious Nora."

Ren gently took her arm and pulled her in for a kiss on the cheek, which made Nora blush instantly. "I-I'm glad you like it." She stuttered before gaining her energetic, bubbly composure once again.

He continued to eat the pancakes, having the milk drown down the weird taste, as Nora sat on Jaune's bed waiting for him to finish. "Where are Jaune and Pyrrha by the way?" Ren asked.

"Oh, they left early to go into Vale. Jaune has something very special planned for Pyrrha! I help plan it, of course." Nora smiled, watching Ren eat her pancakes that she worked really hard for.

Once Ren finished his pancakes and surprisingly delicious cookies, Nora took the tray and set it on Jaune's bed. Ren finally got out of bed and stretched his arms.

"Let's go on a date! We can go watch the new movie that came out! Oh, we can also go have a picnic in Forever Fall! This is going to be fun!" Nora rejoiced excitingly.

Ren went towards his closet to grab his dark green tailcoat. It has been a long time since they had a proper date because of the amount of work and studying team JNPR and RWBY had to do together. "That sounds like a good idea."

He got dressed quickly as Nora bounced around the room, excited to spend time with her beloved Ren. He opened the door and the orange-haired Valkyrie linked arms with him. Ren took her hand, making Nora blush in embarrassment. She wanted to hide her burn marks from him.

"Next time, put more milk in the pancake mix." He advised with a small smile, finally figuring out what was missing.

* * *

"…And it was the great Grimm king that attacked the walls of Vale, which forced the great hero to come out of hiding and save the day!" Nora exclaimed, explaining her crazy dream to Ren as they both walked out of the large airship.

Ren was used to her crazy dreams, this one in particular being more interesting than her usual stories. They walked through the city of Vale, the early morning sun shining on the couple. The two of them found the movie theater and bought tickets for the latest movie 'Red Vs Blue XIV: Dead Fantasy &amp; Haloid'

As they entered the movie theater, the two had ten minutes until the movie trailers would end and the actual movie would start. Nora looked around the theater until she saw a particular game that she knew Ren would love to play.

Nora pulled Ren towards the game machine. She had a sinister grin, pulling out her wallet and pointing it at him. "I challenge you, Lie Ren, to a dance off!"

Ren looked at the gaming machine that they were going to play. "Dance Dance Revolution?"

Nora began inserting her lien into the DDR machine. "We have ten minutes to kill, let's do it!" She began to choose the song that she was going to dance to.

Ren shrugged and stood behind her, waiting for her to take her turn. When it came to dancing, many people consider him to be a pro. Ren could dance to almost anything perfectly. His skills were shown during the prom dance on their first year. Nora just pulled him in and he began to dance on instinct. The Hunter-in-training just followed the rhythm and managed to do it perfectly along with the rest of his teammates.

The song began to play and Nora started to dance to the beat. Ren moved his head to the tune, watching Nora enjoy herself, almost getting a perfect score. She made a peace sign at Ren and grinned. "I'm going to win!"

Ren chuckled and rolled his eyes. He was about to tag in when a group of guys came through the entrance, obnoxiously talking to each other, disturbing everyone who was in the theater. One of them pointed at Nora and they approached the Huntress. Their mind was filled with revolting thoughts, their eyes disrobing her while they strolled towards them. "Hey, baby, want to hang out with us?"

Ren stood in front of the group of guys, glaring at them. "Please leave her alone."

The group of guys looked up at him and pushed him aside. "What, are you guys together?"

Nora linked arms with Ren and glared at them, too. "Yes, we are together, together. Now if you excuse us, we have a movie to watch."

The couple began walking towards screening room when they were cut off by the group of guys. "That's cool, but he doesn't look so tough. Why don't you leave him for us? We're much more fun than this guy."

"We are Hunters and Huntresses-in-training and we wish to not cause trouble. I suggest you let us through, please." Ren advised, trying to be polite.

One of the guys pushed him aside and scowled at him. "We weren't talking to you."

Nora grabbed the person's wrist and twisted it, causing him to yelp in pain. "Ren, let's break their legs." She insisted with a scary glare. No one should dare try to bother Ren when she is right there.

Ren considered it, but he decided for a more…civil solution. "How about a dance battle? If you can score higher than me on this machine, I will leave Nora to you." His nails almost made his palms bleed at how clenched his fist was when he said those last few words, but he was confident in his abilities. If anything, he would just wait outside of the theater while Nora broke their legs the moment they try to touch her. Nora let go of the person and held onto Ren's arms once again.

The group of guys looked at each other and smirked. "Deal, you'll regret making this bet." The first guy stepped up and winked at Nora. She furrowed her eyebrows and stuck her tongue out at him. He chose a rather easy song which he got a mediocre score on. His three friends did the same thing.

Ren walked up to the DDR platform and chose Challenge mode. Nora ran up to him and gave him a long, seductive kiss. "Kick their butt!" She cheered.

He smirked and began to dance like he never danced before. Ren followed every move of the dancer on the screen, from every arm movement to even doing a backflip and landing in a split. Thankfully, he was flexible so the split didn't hurt him one bit.

The group of guys watched as their chances fade away, Ren getting a perfect score. They contemplated on beating him up until they remembered that Ren was a Hunter. Aura users are much more powerful than regular people, so the group decided to not try it. They left the theater, frustrated and embarrassed at the humiliating defeat.

Nora jumped into Ren's arms and gave him another kiss on the lips. "I've never seen you do that since my birthday a few years back. That was amazing, let's do that again."

Ren looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. "We missed the first twenty minutes of the movie. Do you stall want to go inside?"

Nora thought about it before having another brilliant plan in her head. She faced him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Of course! It's rather early so no one would be inside that particular movie so we can definitely do _something_ else." Ren looked into Nora's eyes, trying to reject her offer. Though, like Jaune and Pyrrha, it has been slow because of the amount of work they had to do for Beacon.

Ren began to walk out of the theater, carrying Nora princess style. "Movie theaters are for watching, Nora."

Nora pouted and crossed her arms. Ren made a small smile before they began walking towards a hotel. "The hotel may be a different story, though."

The orange-haired Valkyrie cheered and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yay!"

* * *

Jaune and Pyrrha sat on their king-sized hotel bed, trying to cover their ears. They needed to block any noise from entering their head at all costs. With the help of Nora, Jaune planned the perfect date for Pyrrha with flowers, romantic dinners, view of the sunset, and the one thing that both of them wanted most, time alone together.

Pyrrha was revved up to go, waiting for Jaune to finish his shower, when she felt the wall beginning to vibrate. Jaune got out of the shower, letting Pyrrha see every inch of him when he noticed Pyrrha's ears were against the wall. "Pyrrha?"

"Shhh!" She shushed Jaune while trying to listen to the other side. Jaune pressed his ear on the same wall, but they could only hear a bed colliding with the wall and muffled noises.

That quickly changed when two very familiar voices started to make sounds that neither Jaune nor Pyrrha wished to ever hear. The muffled noise quickly became clear when the couple on the other side moved from their bed to the wall.

Jaune and Pyrrha grabbed their pillows to cover their ears, not wanting to hear any of it at all. They spent their entire night covering their ears, neither one of them checking to see if the couple finished what they were doing or not.

The next morning, Ren and Nora walked out of their hotel room. They were reinvigorated and ready to head back to Beacon for their classes. "Jaune?"

Ren saw Jaune and Pyrrha walk out of the bedroom next to them. They had bags under their eyes, their hair wasn't done, and they radiated an aura of exhaustion. The zombie-like couple squinted in their direction, refusing to make eye contact with any of them. They heard some very raunchy things come out of both Ren and Nora's mouth, but neither one of them wanted to remember.

Nora tilted her head. "What's up, sleepy heads?"

Pyrrha made a slight growl at her. It was Pyrrha's perfect date night and she was slightly peeved that it was ruined by her two teammates. "Let's just get back to Beacon." Jaune muttered before yawning.

Ren and Nora were confused at them, but they were too happy from last night to care at the moment. Team JNPR began their way back to the airships, Jaune and Pyrrha never looking at Ren and Nora the same way again.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoy this little thing I made up. When I heard the news, I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a terrible nightmare. I wouldn't consider myself a Rooster Teeth fan, but I have always been interested in their works ever since the RWBY trailers came out. I only considered myself a fan when I started watching videos other than RWBY a few days ago. Even though I didn't watch much of him, he was still such an amazing guy.**

**Rooster Teeth, his family, and all his friends have my sincerest condolences. Talented animator, loving husband, best of friends, and inspiration to all. God's speed to you, wherever you may go.**


	3. Things to Come

"Weiss, come on. How could anyone expect their opponent to discard their weapon so easily and actually be a hand-to-hand combat fighter?" Ruby pleaded to Weiss right before she ate a cookie whole. Weiss has been in a foul mood since that fight ended, even when Ruby offered to bring back Zwei to Beacon, much to Blake's objections.

"I should have expected it! I take pride in anticipating my opponent's moves and being able to use that to my advantage. I can't be like Yang, who prefers being hit, or Blake and have an afterimage take the blow." Weiss ranted to Ruby.

Yang, Blake, and team JNPR came back with their tray of food and sat across from each other. "At least we can assume that we won't be fighting each other all the time anymore." Yang mentioned before taking a bite of her burger.

"I agree. They seem to be very skilled fighters. Assuming Nova's teammates are as strong as him." Ren pointed out. "I'm curious how Jibril's wings would contribute to her fighting style and strength."

The group fell silent at the thought of how much of an advantage she would have. Jaune was the only one who wouldn't be able to hit Jibril while she was flying due to him not having a long-range weapon. However, they imagine that many people wouldn't be able to hit Jibril with their weapons anyway. She is a much smaller and most likely much faster than a Nevermore. In the Amphitheater, it may be easier due to the limited space, but out in the open like in Emerald Forest, Jibril may practically be untouchable. They shuddered at the thought.

"To think that there are winged Faunus out there is crazy. My father has never mentioned them at all." Weiss stated, thinking about all of the Faunus she has seen in her company. None of them were part of the bird species.

"Oh! Pyrrha, tell us about the winged Faunus. You were going to start explaining before professor Goodwitch came in, right?" Ruby asked, remembering Blake glaring at Jibril earlier in their dorm room. Blake had promised to tell them anything that would be bothering her, but sometimes she hid a few things like this.

"I told you guys already. It's nothing to worry about." Blake tried to assure them.

Weiss, however, wasn't convinced. "You agreed to tell us if anything is wrong. It may not be big, but it is bothering you." She gestured to Pyrrha to begin her explanation.

"Story time!" Nora cheered, ready to listen to the tale of the winged Faunus.

Pyrrha cleared her throat before starting her explanation. "The hatred between the two kinds of Faunus started during the Menagerie incident, when humanity forced all kinds of Faunus out of the continent. Many Faunus wanted to fight for their freedom. Others wanted to avoid conflict and just stay away from the humans. The winged Faunus were the ones who wanted to avoid conflict. According to the books I've read and the discussions between professor Oobleck and me, it seems that the winged Faunus left the Menagerie and flew away from the coming war."

"What books? I've studied every book in Faunus section of the library on campus and none of them mentioned anything about winged Faunus." Weiss interjected.

"Actually, I found this book in my home. It belonged to the poor librarian of Tukson's Book Trade. They were donating his books throughout the four kingdoms after he died." Pyrrha explained before eating her lunch. "He truly did have every book under the sun…except Third Crusade."

"You know who else is _under the Sun_?" Yang smirked, her lilac eyes looking over to Blake. Ruby covered her ears, not wanting to hear any dirty joke. Everyone else gave a glare at the grinning Yang.

Blake continued for Pyrrha. "To many non-winged Faunus, Jibril's kind abandoned them to fight a losing war. They took flight over the ocean, leaving behind those who couldn't follow them. The winged Faunus were never seen or heard from again within the four kingdoms. The victors decide history and many of those victors left out the winged Faunus in history because of their betrayal and disappearance."

Blake stared at her food as the explanation continued. "No one knew what happened to them after they left. Winged Faunus are now only mentioned in a few books and legends, all of them ending with the winged Faunus perishing during their escape of the Menagerie because some higher power cursing them for leaving their own behind."

"Are you okay, Blake? You don't need to continue." Ruby consoled her teammate, letting her choose whether or not to explain the rest.

Blake nodded, wanting to get it off her chest. "When I first saw her, the first thought that came up was that the legends were true and that they didn't perish. The next thought that passed through my mind though was…what kind of person would just abandon their brethren on that continent to suffer and die?"

_I wonder if that's what Adam felt when I left him on that train…_Blake sighed at her thoughts and Weiss put her hand on Blake's shoulder.

"Even if I am angry at them, I couldn't blame them for running. If it wasn't for that inexperienced human general, Faunus would be slaves for humanity or worse. If I had wings, I may have ran too. Just like my semblance, I'll just leave behind something else to take the hit." Weiss pulled her into a hug to try and cheer her up.

However, Yang had a better idea than a hug to help lighten the mood. "Looks like I need some winged Faunus jokes now. I don't know much about them, though. I guess I have to just _wing _it." She pointed at Blake and had a large smile, very satisfied with herself for making that pun.

Blake punched Yang's arm, making a small smile while everyone groaned. "I hate you for making that joke…but thank you. Let's talk about something else now. Did you see Professor Peach's new haircut?" Blake inquired, trying to bring a happier atmosphere.

A couple minutes of small talk between the two teams occurred when two particular individuals walked into the cafeteria hall, bringing every students' attention to them. Two members of the highly rumored team ANJN, Nova Malthael and Noir Ryuuya, walked inside in their school uniforms. The two ignored the stares and whispers, wanting to spend their day in peace.

That peace never came when Ruby waved for them to sit down at their table once they grabbed their lunches. Weiss glared at her partner since she had a petty grudge against one of them. Everyone, however, were fine with them sitting at the table. It would be a good opportunity to make some new friends and scout out their future competition.

Nova and Noir looked at each other and shrugged. Nova sat on RWBY's side while Noir sat on JNPR's side. "Good afternoon." Noir said politely.

"Where are your other two teammates?" Jaune asked.

"Archer and Jibril are in the gardens. However, I wish to not state the reason why." Noir answered, deadpanned. Almost everyone in the table got what he meant. As much as the school wants to deny it, the gardens are usually a place where many couples go and have outdoor sex. Ruby, however, didn't understand because of her innocence…and Yang being a very overprotective sister, threatening everyone to stop doing whatever _or _whomever he or she were doing if they hear Ruby coming.

The two transfer students began eating their lunch when Nova felt a glare coming from Weiss. Noir noticed the faint hostility and addressed it. "Is something the matter, Miss Schnee? If you are upset at my partner for being victorious in your match earlier today, please don't take it out on him."

Weiss sighed and softened her expression. "I'm sorry for my behavior. It's not anything personal, I was upset because I consider myself to be an amazing fighter in Beacon and I lost in such a manner to someone unknown to me. And please, call me Weiss." She apologized to Nova.

The transfer student nodded, signaling that he accepted her apology. "Nova is quite shy when it comes to new people. Though once he warms up to you, you might wish you stayed a stranger to his eyes." Noir stated with a small smile. The group snickered while Nova pouted at his teammate.

"I almost forgot. We didn't truly introduce ourselves to you two." Weiss cleared her throat, extending a hand to them. "Weiss Schnee, and as I said, please call me Weiss." She grinned. The rest of the group introduced themselves as well, Nova and Noir giving them the same curtesy. "Noir Ryuuya and my partner, Nova Malthael."

"What brings you here to Beacon Academy?" Ruby asked curiously. Haven Academy had its own prestige and achievements as a school for Hunters and Huntresses. Beacon may be considered the best, but transferring on the last year seems to be excessive. Ruby would never leave her friends behind just for the reputation.

Noir wiped his mouth with a napkin and proceeded to explain. "Stating what Archer implied during our introductions, Haven Academy didn't challenge us enough. Their curriculum is too simple and don't offer as many courses or extra-curricular activities as Beacon Academy."

Weiss and Pyrrha were almost completely dumbfounded at their reason. Both of them experienced what it was like as students of Haven Academy during their winter break to earn some extra credit. Their syllabus barely gave them enough time to think for themselves until another quiz or project was assigned. The two Huntresses couldn't tell if that was a normal day in Haven or if it is fueled by competition to beat Beacon Academy. Beacon is more lenient when it came to their curriculum, though they do only accept the best students who actually study and work as hard as they could to succeed.

"M-May I ask, what were your grades at Haven Academy?" Pyrrha requested. Both young women had to work hard to earn their A in the extra classes, and even harder to earn their A- in Beacon Academy.

In study sessions between their teams, Weiss and Pyrrha usually took the lead with Ren and Blake as their support staff. Sometimes, however, even their combined knowledge couldn't solve all their questions, especially when it had to do with Professor Port. The main basis of his lessons was always hidden in his long, boring stories about his glory days.

"Jibril and I received an A+ in all our courses. Nova and Archer received an A in their courses." Weiss felt an inner rage and jealousy, but it cooled down at the realization of the opportunity that presented itself to her.

If she can convince team ANJN to join their study sessions, her grade could finally see improvement. The minus sign right next to the A has plagued her ever since she saw it on her transcript. Weiss didn't want to sound desperate either so she decided to ask at a later date, when their study session is closer.

Ruby, however, didn't think like Weiss. "That's better than any of our grades. Weiss, we should ask them to join us the next time we have a group study!" Ruby suggested out loud.

The heiress turned around and scowled at Ruby. "What? You don't want them helping us?" Ruby asked, not understanding Weiss' train of thought.

Noir reddened slightly, not knowing how to respond to such a comment. Nova smirked at Noir's reaction and decided to speak up for the first time in the conversation. "We wouldn't mind helping. However, you may need to offer something of value to Archer and Jibril if you wish for them to join the session."

Nora jumped in and pointed at Ren. "We can offer them Ren's pancake recipe! That'll be worth something in the future! If being a Hunter doesn't work out, he can be a chef at the Cross Continental House of Pancakes!" All Ren could do was hope that her love for him wasn't because he can make really good pancakes.

"Nora, I don't think my pancake recipe would convince them. I think they are looking for something more practical." Ren indicated, trying to calm down his girlfriend's enthusiasm.

Noir shook his head and made a small smile. "What he means is an exchange of knowledge. As you may have guessed from his appearance, Archer can gain anything he wishes. Nothing other than knowledge is worth his time. Jibril is the same, though she is not rich. To her, nothing is more valuable than knowledge, knowledge is power. A pancake recipe won't be worth much."

"Does Archer own a successful company or business? As a Schnee, I was obligated to know very powerful and/or wealthy people in the four kingdoms, such as the Nikos family. I don't remember learning about the…Eiyu Family." Weiss didn't have much time to think of the family name Eiyu because of her unwarranted grudge against Nova. Even so, it was not a name that she could recall in all of her lessons from her mother or father. Nova and Noir looked at each other for a split second before responding.

"He doesn't own anything like that. His wealth came from his inheritance. His ancestors were treasure hunters that lived outside the walls. Suffice to say, they definitely found some." Noir explained before taking a sip of water.

"Jibril will be easier convince. She loves playing games, so if you beat her in a game, she would join if you bet on it." Nova told them. Yang and Ruby smiled and looked at each other. They immediately knew which game they are going to play to get Jibril to join in their session.

"We challenge Jibril to a game of Remnant!" Ruby joyfully exclaimed. "It'll be fun! I can also take revenge on Jaune for eliminating me last game."

Weiss rolled her eyes and rejected the game. "I may be good at it now, but I feel a game of Remnant is too reliant on chance and luck rather than strategy and tactics."

"I accept." The group turned to the source of the unexpected voice. They also noticed that the entire cafeteria was silent, also staring at the person that walked in.

Jibril was behind Nova with a smile, her golden eyes looking at Ruby. She greeted Noir and gave Nova a fist bump. "The only reason why these two would divulge my love for games is that you wish to gain something from me and don't having anything to trade for it."

It took a few seconds before anyone responded to her. They were mesmerized by her appearance. Jibril was much more beautiful up close. Her floating halo was different from a typical angel's halo. It was blue and had a strange pattern along the circle. Though they couldn't guess what it was because it is comprised of strange symbols that would change every second.

"We want you to join our study sessions. We have milk and cookies." Ruby bargained, trying to convince her beforehand with the promises of sugar and dairy.

Jibril smiled before motioning for Nova and Noir to follow her. "Very well, if you lose, I want to borrow this cute girl." She walked up to Ruby with a finger trailing up her neck to her chin. "You are legal right?"

"W-What do you want with me?" Ruby blushed before Weiss grabbed her away from Jibril while Yang and Blake got in between the winged Faunus and her sister. "Absolutely not!" Yang snapped, glaring at Jibril.

The winged Faunus rolled her eyes and looked at Jaune. "How about you?" Jibril walked away from team RWBY and towards JNPR's leader. Pyrrha stood up and got in front of Jaune, protecting what is hers. Yet, Jibril put her hand on Pyrrha's cheek.

"You can come as well. It'll be fun." She smirked at the red-haired Huntress. "Hmmm, say, does the carpet match the drapes?" Pyrrha blushed and took a few steps back, grabbing Jaune's arm so he would be farther away from the winged Faunus. With the relationship Jaune and Pyrrha had, he definitely knew the answer to that question. Though, if he did answer, there won't be a relationship to speak of, or a Jaune for that matter.

Nova put a hand on Jibril's shoulder and shook his head. Jibril shrugged and turned back around. "Archer needs us for something important. Classes also start in fifteen minutes so we need to hurry." They began to walk towards the exit. "Consider my offer, you three." Jibril winked at them. Pyrrha and Ruby's faces were only one shade of red away from matching Ruby's insignia or Pyrrha's hair.

"P-Pyrrha…is-" Before Jaune could even convey his thought, Pyrrha turned around and gave him a nasty scowl. "Jaune, I love you. I know it's been a slow month and we are…exploring new things, but we are _not_ doing _that_." Jaune just nodded slowly. He's gotten Pyrrha mad before and it was not a fun experience to say the least.

The group laughed together and threw out their finished lunches. "So what do you guys think of team ANJN?" Ruby asked, walking out of the dining hall.

"I like them. They are much better than Cardin and his team." Yang noted outright. "I also want to go a few rounds with Nova. His fighting techniques are amazing and much better than any hand-to-hand combat specialist in Beacon, except for me of course."

"His eyes were fascinating! So mysterious~." Nora held onto Ren's arm and smiled.

"They all look really strong and cool. I wonder why Sun or Neptune never mentioned anything about them. People of that skill usually stand out and are well known around their school." Jaune mentioned.

"Nova seems to be very nice and I would like to get to know Noir more, too. He hasn't conveyed many emotions other than a small smile here and there." Blake stated. Her entire team turned their heads with a sinister smile and stared at her. "W-What?"

"I think Sun has some competition, don't you agree?" Ruby snickered, nudging her elbow at Yang's side.

"He does look cute, I wouldn't put it past Blake to get rid of Sun for Noir. He's much smarter, too." Weiss added.

"Blake could be greedy too and just have him as a side man! You know, Noir for Beacon and Sun for Haven." Yang teased.

Team JNPR just stayed behind them, having the image of Noir and Sun fighting for Blake's attention. Blake, however, didn't appreciate all the teasing. "I won't betray Sun's trust! He may not be the smartest person, but he is honest and adorable!" Blake shouted, louder than she anticipated. A group of people around them turned to see what the commotion was. The cat Faunus blushed and rushed ahead, covering the side of her face with one hand. Her three teammates followed, trying to stifle their laughs.

* * *

Archer opened the windows, his hair, flattened down, flowing with the cool breeze of the night. The crimson eyes stared into the stars, thoughts going through his mind. Beacon Academy was silent like the dead until a quiet voice came from behind him. "Can't sleep?"

Jibril wrapped her arms around him and let her forehead rest on his back. Her halo wasn't floating on top of her head and her chest pressed against him. Both of them were naked, letting the darkness conceal their bodies.

"Don't worry, my king. We'll be back there soon." She whispered in a soothing voice, trying to calm him. Archer had the opposite reaction, however.

"We shouldn't have left in the first place! We have the power to retake everything that was ours!" He turned around, his eyes burning with rage. "Yet, here we are, sitting in a dorm room smaller than my walk-in closet!" Archer's voice echoed out the windows through the campus. Luckily, everyone was fast asleep to notice.

Jibril lowered her head, hiding her saddened expression. Archer took a deep breath before kissing his loved one on the top of her head. "Don't fret. The traitor may have won the battle, but we will win this war. Come, let's ignore what isn't here at the moment, and enter our own little world once again." Archer murmured, his voice seductive and inviting. The couple walked to their beds that they pushed against each other to make one large one.

The two began to make love under the moonlight that shone through the window. Their voices and moans echoed in the room and out the open window. Fortunately, Nova had woken up from the raunchy sounds and closed it before they got louder. They would have gotten in serious trouble from the staff. Nova yawned and told them that he would wait outside the room, wanting to give them privacy.

Noir was walking down the hallway with his silver briefcase and uniform when he spotted his partner leaving the room, a certain noise escaping into the hallway. Noir wisely ignored it and greeted Nova before walking inside. Archer and Jibril were no longer on the bed and now were on the wall. Luckily, the rooms next to theirs were unoccupied. Noir placed his briefcase under his bed, unfazed by the actions of his two teammates.

"How was…the trip?" Jibril moaned right before arching her back from the pleasure. She fell limp into Archer's arms, her eyes glazed.

Noir took out a book called 'Ninjas of Love' and started reading it. He didn't express it, but he was tired from leaving right after lunch and coming back at this time. Though, the transfer student knew he wouldn't be able to sleep while Jibril and Archer were making such loud noises.

"The mission was successful. I have managed to gain intelligence of the enemy. He has begun mobilizing his forces, my liege. We have an approximately three to five days before they arrive."

"So be it. I'm sick of waiting like a coward." Archer wrapped his arms around Jibril, carrying her back to their combined bed. He covered her body with a blanket and kissed her on the forehead. "Let's see if he is worthy of commanding my army."

* * *

**A/N: I would like to thank my dear friend, T.W., for editing my first chapter and some part of this chapter. I hope you liked the back-story I made up for the winged Faunus. Questions, comments, reviews, and constructive criticism is always welcome.**


	4. Things have Come

"I can't believe we lost!" Weiss ranted, team RWBY and JNPR entering the Amphitheater for their class. "It was a three-versus-one and we couldn't even touch her!" The two teams sat down in their usual spots, a few minutes before class started.

Ruby and Jaune gave Jibril the instruction manual to Remnant: The Game the day after the deal was made. The board game was a fan favorite in the campus. Everyone knew how to play the game, even if the students weren't board game playing people. To be fair, they gave her a few days to learn how to play. They decided to hold the challenge early this morning. Unfortunately, Jibril only used an hour of her time to actually learn the game. The winged Faunus used the rest of her days perfecting her strategies. Strategies that no one would ever think of.

The first few matches were four-player free-for-all, it was fair that way. She single-handedly defeated every single member of team RWBY and team JNPR. Weiss, however, was adamant about her joining their study group. She forced the two teams to call their friends to help them. Yang called the girls of team SPIA (Sepia) and the guys of team SHDW (Shadow). The blonde felt bad about asking them to play. The last time they spent time together was during the first year of Beacon. They were still willing to help Yang out, though.

Ruby and Jaune saw their friends from team RNBW (Rainbow) in the library. The two convinced them to play, even if they weren't good at games in general. Blake was reluctant to bring her friends from team FAWN. They aren't in good terms with Weiss since they were Faunus. As a Faunus, you learn to not trust any Schnee. Though, Blake assures them that Weiss isn't like the person that the rumors describe her to be…anymore.

Jibril was the person to offer for their matches to be three-versus-one, allowing them to share resources, cards, troops, but she still came out victorious.

"Her efficiency with air units is unreal. Jibril knew how to counter every single move we made." Jaune sighed and leaned forward. "Do you guys think she cheated?"

Blake shook her head. "She couldn't have. The only cards she touched were her own. She never shuffled or even took a second glance at her cards. Once she got them, she looked at it and put it face down. We even rolled all the dice for her."

"I hope she is as strong in combat as she is in the game. Nova has been the only one fighting the past few days. I want to see what weapons the others have!" Ruby stated, resting her beloved Crescent Rose on her lap.

"I agree. Professor Goodwitch told the rest of team ANJN that they will be fighting today. If they are as strong as Nova, team ANJN will dethrone us, Yang." Pyrrha added. Pyrrha and Yang are known to be the best fighters in Beacon Academy. Thanks to their powerful semblances, of course. Yang didn't have a chance to duel Nova yet, but Pyrrha did.

In the past week, Nova fought Weiss in a rematch, a two-versus-one, and team CRDL. Weiss would never admit it, but the sparring matches were easy victories, his Aura staying above 75 percent. In those few days, he quickly earned the same reputation as Pyrrha. Due to his overwhelming strength, many people began to debate who was stronger, the undefeated champion, Pyrrha Nikos, or the new transfer student, Nova Malthael.

Goodwitch heard the rumors and debates, deciding to take the opportunity to sate her own curiosity. After teaching the class about certain advanced fighting techniques, she decided to pit the two warriors against one another. It was a match that many people were looking forward to watch. It was almost as big as when Pyrrha first fought Yang. Like everyone else in Beacon Academy, Nova didn't know about Pyrrha's control of polarity. The only people who knew were her friends and the infamous White Fang leaders.

Much to everyone's expectations, Nova had a tough time in the first few minutes of the fight. Not one swing connected from Nova, while Pyrrha was chipping away at his Aura. After a while, he figured out her semblance, similar to how Mercury found out during the first year. After that incident, Pyrrha trained herself to notice if anyone had figured her out. Although, she didn't need training for what Nova did next.

In the middle of the fight, he shed all his armor and threw his claymore to the side. The move surprised a lot of people except teams RWBY, JNPR, and ANJN. Yang thought of the same thing during a fight with the red-haired Huntress. She was the only one who could afford to do that because it didn't change her style of fighting unlike the rest of her friends. Yang still lost to Pyrrha, though. The maneuver stopped the Huntress from controlling the opponent's armor, but not her own. Even without manipulating the enemy, she can increase the speed of her attacks and her blocks with her polarity.

Pyrrha anticipated the increase of speed because of the lack of armor. Yet, he surprised the Huntress further. The black-haired Hunter began to fight recklessly, taking hit after hit from Pyrrha. The Huntress swung Miló in its sword form at him, but Nova caught it, his fingers digging into the sharp edge of the blade. Pyrrha tried to use her shield, Akoúo̱, to smash him on the side to loosen his grip. Sparks flew as the shield bashed on his face, which startled everyone, including Professor Goodwitch. Nova used that brief moment of confusion and hesitation to rip her sword from her grasp, throwing it out of bounds.

The match continued with Nova bashing Pyrrha's shield and her armor with his fists, leaving multiple dents. She wasn't use to fighting without her weapon, especially against such an overwhelming force like Nova. The Huntress wasn't a pushover, though, thanks to the practice sessions with Yang and Ren.

His Aura was abnormal from everyone's eyes. It hasn't gone down once ever since he dropped his armor. Even after grabbing Pyrrha's sword from its edge. Normally, doing that would damage your Aura, but his never went down once.

Nova won by two percent against her, his Aura at 63 percent while Pyrrha's was at 61 percent. It completely shocked everyone in the class, including the Professor Goodwitch. The word of her loss spread like wildfire in Beacon Academy. Pyrrha wasn't angry, frustrated, or had any negative emotion about the match. As much as she respected her friends' strength, none of them came close to beating her. The red-haired Huntress finally found someone who can challenge her, defeat her. Pyrrha had a new goal to reach because of it and she is ecstatic to see this goal through to the end.

"I'm not worried! I can't wait to pummel him to the ground!" Yang taunted with confidence, her eyes burning with excitement as she punched her palm. "Where are they anyway?"

"I'm guessing they are getting their weapons. Nova is the only one that ever comes in his combat attire. Maybe they are bringing their things as well." Ruby beamed, excited to see what they have brought.

After a while of talking amongst themselves, Professor Goodwitch entered the Amphitheater with team ANJN following behind her. Ruby waved at them and tried to see what weapons they've brought to fight. To her disappointment, the only thing that she can tell that was different was a pair of tonfas that had a curved blade on the underside of it. The weapon hung from Jibril's belt as her team walked inside. Ruby still inspected it from a far, waiting to see what it can do.

"Alright class, coming from the amazing performance from both Pyrrha Nikos and Nova Malthael yesterday, who wishes to fight first?" Professor Goodwitch looked at Blake who rose her hand. "Okay, who do you want to face, Ms. Belladonna?"

"I choose Jibril, professor." Blake wanted to get past the history between the two species of Faunus. She didn't know why the winged Faunus left their own kind, but she aspired that the two can work together. Work with one another to help remove the discrimination of Faunus in society. Blake hoped that she could let the match draw out her negative feelings and let them dissipate.

The two Faunus walked down to the stage and got into their fighting stances. Before the match began, Goodwitch interrupted them, noticing a visitor enter the Amphitheater. "It seems we have a guest."

The class turned to see Ozpin walking through the entrance with his cane and usual cup of coffee. "What brings you here, headmaster?" Goodwitch asked.

"I've heard that Ms. Nikos has lost in a sparring match. I'm here to observe the skill of these transfer students and see if the rumors of their skill are true. I'm curious to why they haven't been mentioned before by Haven Academy's headmaster or why they haven't participated in the Vytal Festival." He remarked, hinting his suspicion towards the new team. Ozpin strolled up the stairs and onto the bleachers. "Please pretend that I'm not here."

Professor Goodwitch took a step back. Right before she said begin, the sirens activated, filling the air with a loud, blaring noise. The class began to panic slightly as Goodwitch and Ozpin went on their Scrolls to observe the security feed around the campus.

"Is it the White Fang!?" Yang screamed out over the loud sirens.

Jibril's teammates jumped down to meet with her. They began to carefully converse with each other under the cover of the sirens. Blake stared at them, trying to figure out what they were talking about, but she couldn't hear them, even with her Faunus ears, over her alarmed classmates and the sound of the siren. However, she could tell by the look on their faces that it wasn't good.

Noir pulled out his Scroll and began typing something in it. Nova threw Archer the golden object hanging from his tasset belt and the team rushed out of the Amphitheater. Professor Goodwitch tried to stop them, insisting that they stay inside for their own safety, but nobody listened.

"Let's go! We need to see what's going on!" Ruby yelled and led both teams outside.

The two teams caught up with ANJN as they approached the edge of the landing platforms. Some of the other students nearby were also there to see what all the commotion was. Their eyes widen at the sight. Smoke was rising up, large unknown airships were flying above, and explosions were destroying the tranquil city of Vale.

"W-What's happening…?" Jaune stammered.

A weapon locker flew out of the armory and landed behind them. Noir turned around and opened his locker to grab an obsidian black mobile suit. The sun shined on the metal as he put it on. He rested his silver briefcase on top of the locker and revealed two silver, long barreled pistols inside. Professors began rush out behind them to see what was going on as well. The destruction of the city reflected on Ozpin's glasses as he looked on.

"We have to go there and help! They are getting slaughtered down there!" Weiss yelled and drew her rapier. Everyone agreed and unsheathed their weapons as well.

"No. You are still my students and I will not let you go down there. Glynda, Peter, escort these students back into the building and tell every professor to keep their students inside until evacuation arrives. Bart, Head to the Cross Continental Transmit tower and find out if we can get reinforcements from the kingdoms. None of those ships carry the symbol of the other three kingdoms." Oobleck nodded and ran towards the tower.

"We can't leave them to die! They won't last without the help of the military or Hunters!" Ruby begged over the sirens. "Please let us go!"

The concerned group of students was worried about what was going to happen, especially Ruby and Yang. Their father and uncle were teachers at Signal in Patch. They were off on an island of the coast of Vale where the enemy was coming from. The unknown foe would have to engage Patch first before entering Vale. The two sisters hoped that they would be safe, though the destruction of the city wasn't helping them keep an optimistic attitude.

"I want to help them as much as anyone here. But I will not send my students to fight an enemy we know nothing about. You have been trained to fight Grimm, not humans. The sparring matches are only that, sparring matches. The White Fang you fought three years ago were only civilians who wanted peace. The organization only had a handful of competent fighting soldiers. This is a well-trained army, trained in the art of killing other human beings." Ozpin got down to Ruby's height and looked into her silver eyes.

"I know you're worried, young one. The dusty old Qrow will keep your father and friends back in Patch safe. Now do you part and keep your classmates and underlings calm and prepare for an evacuation."

Ruby stared into his brown eyes. She hated it, but he was right. Hunters and Huntresses are trained to fight Grimm. They weren't soldiers. As much as the young Huntress was confident in her teams and friend's skill, the others might have much more trouble. She sheathed Crescent Rose after collapsing it, trusting her headmaster's decision.

"Let's go guys." Ruby murmured before turning towards Goodwitch and Port. The rest of the brave students reluctantly sheathed their weapons and followed the two Professors back into the Amphitheater. Archer was staring at the city, his three teammates waiting for possible orders to interfere. He grits his teeth and turned around. "Follow them. I wish to not engage yet." Archer whispered to his group, the situation he predicted getting out of hand.

Ozpin opened his Scroll and sent out a distress and evacuation signal from Beacon Academy. The army and air force swarmed into the battle and engage the mysterious army. Their ships were purple and much more advanced than even Atlas' airships. "You asked me, James, if my children can win a war." He took a sip of his coffee as he stared at the ensuing chaos miles away. "They can win…but how many will live to claim victory?"

* * *

The seniors roamed around, helping their professors keep the students as calm as possible. The sirens were still blaring in their ears as they heard explosions coming from the city or from the air battle. The two teams were in the Amphitheater, helping the students who were in their class or the courtyard.

Blake finished with reassuring some students when Yang came behind her, frustrated. "I hate sitting here and doing nothing." Yang fumed as she sat down in front of Blake. "We could be out there, helping the evacuation of the civilians at least!"

Blake sighed and sat down next to her. "I know, but Ozpin is right. If we rush in there against an army of that size, we won't be walking out. We're not ready to fight a battle." Yang's head swiveled and glared at her.

"What happened to 'We may never be ready!' and 'It's coming, whether we're ready or not!'" Yang mocked, trying to imitate Blake's voice.

Blake glared back, not appreciating the imitation. "Like Ozpin said, the White Fang are civilians. Only a small fraction had any real military training. The others only had basic shooting and close combat drills." She leaned back and sighed. "Even back then, we were overambitious. We were four random students trying to take down a terrorist organization on our own."

"Hey, we were four _amazing _students _from _Beacon Academy who _successfully _stopped the White Fang in Vale." Yang corrected with a confident smile.

Blake laughed softly and smiled. She was glad that Ruby exploded during their first day at Beacon. She was happy that she found Yang in the Emerald Forest during their first year. Being her partner and being part of team RWBY was one of the greatest things that could happen to the cat Faunus. Blake, though, didn't have time to reminisce. Her expression became serious when her gaze fell upon the team members of ANJN who were conversing quietly near the entrance. She gestured for Ruby and Weiss to come join them.

"As much as I don't want to say this, but I don't trust team ANJN at the moment." Blake confessed to them.

"I don't either, actually. It just so happens we get attacked from an unknown enemy a few days after a mysterious team transferred from _Haven_." Weiss whispered so Jibril's ears couldn't listen in. "This isn't a coincidence."

"Guys, I know tensions are running a little high, but you don't have to blame them. They were willing to jump into the battle alongside us remember?" Ruby tried to ease their nerves and not cause any more trouble than they are already in. Blake and Weiss, however, weren't convinced.

"I believe in Ruby. Even if they aren't who they say there are, they are willing to fight. Maybe they are being hunted by the guys who are attacking us?" Yang theorized.

"That makes it even worse!" Weiss muttered. "They could be wanted criminals for all we know! They must have done something terrible to attract an entire army. We should tell professor Goodwitch and headmaster Ozpin about them."

"This could be a misunderstanding. We should at least confront them about this." Ruby tried to convince them. Before Weiss could object, Ozpin opened the doors to Amphitheater. "The airship has arrived. We will be evacuating the first years, then the second, and so on. Professors will be the last to go."

Everyone began to rush out to the landing platforms where a large airship, similar to the one that brought students to Beacon, was waiting. It was already filled with some civilians from the city. The first years began to fill up the airship by the dozen. Ruby extended Crescent Rose and pointed it at the city. The silver eyes peered through the sniper rifle's scope, observing the battle and the state of the city.

"What do you see?" Ozpin asked behind her.

"It's bad. The military have retreated to what looks like…the residential district. The air battle isn't looking to good either." Ruby reported. "I don't know if we can evacuate everyone in time."

"Well let's hope we can save as many as we can. An injured soldier on board reported that most of the civilians in the residential district evacuated to a base camp. Once this airship takes off, we'll be boarding military Bullheads." Ozpin turned around to the transports and gave them the all clear to move out. They began to take off from the landing platforms hanging above the docks at the entrance of the school. The large airship began to fly over them and headed southeast to the camp. The second years stepped forward, waiting for the military Bullheads to arrive.

The minute they turned away, a large explosion tore a hole through the airship. The students watched as the airship started to lose altitude. "No…" Ozpin whispered.

Pyrrha and Goodwitch rushed forward. They both used all their strength to try and soften the landing using Pyrrha's polarity and Goodwitch's energy shields. Purple and black Aura surrounded the smoking ship, its descent starting to slow down. It was a futile effort, though. Its weight and velocity was too much for either of them to handle, the airship colliding with the ground.

Oobleck returned from the CCT to report his findings to Ozpin when he saw the ship crash. "Bart!" Ozpin yelled. The headmaster didn't need to finish his sentence. Oobleck raced to the ship with all his might to check for survivors. Pyrrha and Goodwitch fell to their knees as the strain of even trying took a toll on their bodies. Jaune and Port went to their sides and tried to help them up.

"How…What happened?" Goodwitch muttered as another student began to scream. "Look out!"

A squad of enemy fighters appeared out of nowhere and surprised the scrambling escort ships, taking them down instantly. The strange aircraft were purple, the wings curving forward, creating an image of a trident without its staff. Unknown to the four kingdoms, they were appropriately named Tridents.

The wings of one of the escorts began to fly towards Jaune and Pyrrha, who were unaware of its existence. "Jaune, Pyrrha!" Ruby shrieked. The young Huntress used her semblance, boosting her speed to push them out of the way at the last second. Her eyes fell upon the flaming, speeding debris intended for her two friends.

_At least Jaune and Pyrrha are safe. I did well for my crazy life! Sorry dad, Yang, looks like I'm going to see mom. _She closed her eyes and awaited her fate.

"Ruby!" Yang screamed, running towards the debris. In her mind, however, she knew she wasn't going to make it. Weiss used a glyph to speed herself up as Blake trailed behind Yang. The debris hit the ground, dust and smoke blocking their view. Yang's mind went blank. Her tears began to cloud her vision and she got onto her knees in front of the debris. The blonde huntress reached forward, picking up a red cloth that came from her little sister's cape.

_No, no, no, no, NO!_ Yang threw herself at the massive wing of the destroyed escort ship. The blonde Huntress didn't even bother activating her semblance or Ember Celica. She just punched, and punched, and punched the object that squished her beloved sister. Blake wrapped her arms around Yang's body, trying to stop her from hurting herself.

Weiss' tears fell down her cheek, unable to accept that her partner died. Blake and Yang collapsed in front of the fiery debris, the cat Faunus sobbing into the back of her partner's tan vest. Yang's fists were starting to heal over because of her Aura, but she didn't care. The blonde Huntress held the burned, crumpled red cloth in her hands.

"No…"

* * *

**A/N: Well that happened. There are a few things I added, such as the Winged Faunus, since there aren't any bird Faunus that we know of yet, and obvious couples like Ren and Nora (Come on, we know it's going to happen). Things are starting to pick up now, so I hope you will stick with me until the end! As always, any questions, comments, reviews, etc. is welcome! If you find anything wrong like spelling or grammar, please let me know by private messaging me.**

**Also, I'm not good at naming the titles of the chapters so it may be sometimes be like this. If you think of a better one, let me know too. Enjoy!**


	5. Invasion of Beacon Academy I

"Wow! So this is what happens when someone dies! This is like that one show where that one character gets run over and he needs to go through a test to get resurrected! I wonder if a lady on an oar will show up!" Ruby yelled with excitement.

Yang made a small smile as she cried. "Great…Now I'm hearing her voice in my head…"

Weiss wiped her tears and looked at her weeping teammates. "I heard it too…"

The blonde froze for a second. She jumped up from Blake's arms, her eyes frantically moving around. "Ruby, is that you!? Ruby!" She wiped her tears, her lilac eyes bloodshot from her sobbing.

"Wait, how can they hear me? I'm dead, right?" Ruby questioned, confused. She looked at her distraught teammates who were hysterically looking around. They looked up to see Ruby, her torn cape flowing in the wind, being held by a certain winged Faunus.

Ruby looked down and noticed Jibril's arms around her waist. She didn't even notice being saved by her. "Sorry to disappoint, but I don't need an oar to fly." Jibril added, descending to the ground. Ruby blushed, embarrassed that she said those things out loud in public.

Weiss, Blake, and Yang ran to their team leader, almost tackling her, tears of joy now filling their eyes. "Don't do that to us, you dolt." Weiss chimed.

Ruby gasped for air, her three closest friends squeezing her tightly. "G-Guys…I might actually…die now." She struggled to break free from their grasp.

Weiss and Blake let go while Yang held on to her. She was so scared that she almost lost her baby sister. Ruby was the most important person in her life, and she vowed to protect her at all cost. Yang wouldn't know what to do if she lost her. How would she tell their father about that? Losing another important person in his life would push him over the edge, an edge that is already eroding away.

Ruby knew Yang wasn't going to let go anytime soon so she conceded and hugged her back. As much as she would like for that show's story to come true, the young Huntress preferred to be in the arms of her older, overprotective sister. Her silver eyes fell upon her partner, trying to stop her makeup from running. "Weiss, please, I'm 18 now. Can you drop that nickname already?"

Before Weiss could interject, a student pointed up and began yelling. "Guys, they're coming back!"

The purple fighters turned around and aimed at them to finish the job. Ruby felt Yang's Aura flare up, her lilac eyes slowly turning red. Yang was ready to do anything to keep Ruby out of danger. If that meant tanking a few shots from the fighters, then so be it.

"Everyone, get inside now!" Jibril yelled as she drew her tonfas.

She connected the forward end of the two tonfas above the grip and held it like a bow. The rest of the students began to run back into the buildings to avoid the incoming aerial bombings. The squad of Tridents began to fire at the landing platforms, destroying them and making them fall into the water below.

Jibril's eyes stared at the fighters, aiming her string less, makeshift bow. Her strange halo moved from the top of her head to surround her wrist. The winged Faunus made a drawing motion with her right hand and a blue, almost glowing, arrow manifested itself in between the grips of the tonfas. The arrow stayed still, the nock of the arrow in between her index and middle fingers.

"I'm sorry…" Jibril whispered to herself and parted her two fingers, causing the arrow to fly towards the leading Trident. The blue arrow split into multiple arrows, one for each fighter, and made a direct hit on all of them. The arrows flew right into the cockpit, killing the pilots instantly. Jibril flew back into the Amphitheater to avoid the inevitable crashing of the fighters.

* * *

The Amphitheater was filled with panicking students. The image of the large airship carrying civilians and their first year schoolmates blowing up and crashing began to register in their minds. None of them saw what happened to it, or what caused it, but they were terrified. They were terrified at what was going to happen to them.

Students cowered in fear, while others were emotionally numb, ready to accept their fate. Even the professors were at a loss at what to do. Ozpin sat on the raised stage, his head down on the back of his hands, thinking about what is the best thing to do to save his students. Goodwitch was by his side, trying to get more transports to come, but she wasn't getting any luck at all.

Oobleck rushed in the Amphitheater and walked towards Ozpin and Goodwitch. The headmaster picked up his cane and noticed the appearance of his old friend. Oobleck became the center of attention the moment he walked into the building. His entire presence was dirtied with soot, oil, and blood. Oobleck didn't need to say anything for everyone to understand the situation. He didn't come asking for help or wasn't carrying anyone to be treated. The green-haired professor shook his head at Ozpin, a mournful expression on his face.

"After inspecting the ship, it looks like the Dust fuel tank exploded. I'm afraid that it wasn't an accident, either." Oobleck reported, his voice low and full of sorrow.

Some of the students who escaped into the Amphitheater started to cry to mourn their friends. Ozpin closed his eyes and lowered his head. He just gave a speech to them about their future as Hunters and their possible accomplishments in Beacon a few days ago at the first day of school. Ozpin saw the ambition, the pride, and the admiration all those students had.

"Anything else?" Ozpin inquired.

Oobleck cleared his throat and reported his situation about the CCT. "I tried calling all of the kingdoms for help, but none of them responded. The enemy had jammed all of our signals. After fiddling with the signal strength and frequency, I managed to get through to the kingdom of Mistral." Pyrrha, Blake, and Weiss looked up, paying close attention to the conversation at the mention of Mistral.

Oobleck leaned in, trying to keep the conversation to themselves for morale sake. "The screen and audio was cutting in and out. I couldn't understand what they were trying to tell me but…it seems like they were attacked as well. The transmission ended with an explosion happening in the background." Oobleck whispered to Ozpin. The Faunus, however, heard it all and relayed what he said to their friends.

Pyrrha held onto Jaune as tears fell from her eyes. She was worried about her family and knowing that they were attacked didn't help her at all. Knowing her family, they would've stood their ground and fought the invasion. A family of prestigious Hunters, Huntresses, warriors, and soldiers, they would do anything to make sure the people around them would be safe. All she could think about is how many of her relatives will fall in the inevitable battle.

Weiss was calm on the outside, but she was an emotional wreck on the inside. She had almost lost her cherished partner, Ruby, and now she might lose another important person in her life, her boyfriend, Neptune. Her intelligence was a hindrance to her as well. If both Vale and Mistral was attacked, she can assume Vacuo and Atlas would be attacked, too.

Weiss wasn't in good terms with her family, but she did reconcile with her sister, Winter. After surviving the attack of the Vytal festival from the White Fang, her sister was the only one who called from her family to see if she was okay. It was genuine call, not a call to see if their precious heir needed to be protected for the betterment of the Schnee Dust Company, like what her father gave. They reconciled after that call, becoming closer to each other, though it was still a sort of love-hate relationship.

Blake didn't need to think about what she was going to do next. The cat Faunus drew Gambol Shroud and walked up to the team ANJN who were conversing quietly. She pointed her weapon at them and gave them a nasty scowl. "Who are you!? Why are they here!?" She screamed at them, drawing everyone's attention. "I know you know so explain!"

Ruby struggled out of Yang's hold and went in between them. "Blake! Jibril saved me, remember? They can't be part of this!" She turned to them, her silver eyes darting from Nova's dark violet eyes to Archer's crimson red ones. "Right?"

"Of course they are! You heard Ozpin's tone, even he is suspicious of them! No one with that kind of skill and power goes unnoticed! Neither Sun or Neptune even mentioned a winged Faunus at Haven Academy!" Blake tried to reason with Ruby and pulled her away from them.

Weiss drew Myrtenaster and beside Ruby, agreeing with her teammate. "I'm sorry, but I think Blake is right."

Team ANJN gave each other a look, each one having a different plan on how to deal with the accusations in their head. Not one word was said between the four teammates. A few moments passed when Archer closed his eyes and Noir pointed both of his long barreled pistols at Weiss and Blake, his obsidian black suit creating a helmet and a facemask around his head. It had purple eyes, a silver colored jaw, and silver diamond shaped patterns above his eyes. Jibril did the same thing with her tonfa-bow, a blue arrow primed and ready to fire. Nova, reluctantly, drew his claymore and stood in front of Archer, clearly not happy with the unfolding development.

Ruby's eyes widened, her silver pupils staring into the barrel of his pistol. Weiss and Blake immediately pushed their team leader out of harm's way, raising their weapons towards their former friends. Ren and Pyrrha drew their weapons as well, ready to protect their friends. Jaune and Nora, however, were startled from the sudden hostility.

A standoff occurred between the three teams. They stood there, weapons pointing at each other, watching every move made by anyone in the room for a good, long minute. Their concentration was unyielding, studying each other to see who will make the first move.

The group flinched when Noir turned his head towards the door. "Have they arrived?" Archer asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Yes, my liege. Hostiles are inbound from the West…and the North…Beacon Academy is being surrounded." Noir pointed one of his guns towards the door and waited for Archer to give a signal.

Before anyone could react to Noir's words, Vale soldiers began to drop into the Amphitheater through the open roof. The sound of their boots hitting the floor echoed as orders were being given. An explosion was set off outside the Amphitheater, indicating that the Cizinec have invaded the campus.

A commanding officer walked up to Ozpin and saluted him. "It's unfortunate we have to meet under these circumstances, headmaster Ozpin. The transports are already waiting at Beacon Cliffs near Emerald Forest. Please gather your students and head east towards the site. The rest of my men are currently informing the remaining professors and students in the campus, so you have no need to worry about them."

Ozpin nodded and shook the officer's hand. "Thank you for leading this mission, Lieutenant Hawkeye. I apologize for these circumstances as well. I'll bring my students to the evacuation site immediately."

Atlesian Knights began to enter through the roof, their dark-grey metallic color and red highlights showing that they are the old AK-130 models, instead of the new AK-200s. They ran through the doors and went towards the battle guns blazing. Port and Oobleck took this opportunity to take the students through the emergency exits.

The standoff between RWBY, JNPR, and ANJN stopped for a few brief moments. Ruby stepped in front of Weiss and grabbed her wrist. In the three years, Ruby and Weiss grew in height, but instead of the team leader being one inch shorter than her Weiss, they were now the same height. "We have to go, Weiss."

Weiss' furrowed her eyebrows and glared at ANJN, sheathing her rapier. Team RWBY turned and followed their professors out of the Amphitheater. Nova and his team trailed behind them, Jibril in the air a few meters above them to watch for any enemy.

* * *

"There they are!" Ruby yelled, spotting the group of soldiers setting up a temporary defensive position. The soldiers waved for them to come quickly while the transports began to warm up their engines for takeoff.

"Second years leave first. Miss Rose, tell anyone who isn't a second year to keep an eye out for any aircraft." Ozpin instructed. Ruby nodded and told her friends to help. A commanding officer ran up to the headmaster, yelling out orders to the troops around him.

"Get your students out of here. We lost contact with Lieutenant Hawkeye a few minutes after reporting in about survivors at Beacon." The commanding officer told him. "We don't ha-"

His head snapped to the side, the force of a sniper shot going through his brain. His blood and brain matter splattered onto Ozpin, staining his professional appearance. The headmaster's eyes widened as the officer fell onto the dirt.

"Ambush!" A soldier roared before the sounds of screams and suppressive fire broke out.

Yang grabbed Ruby and dove behind a stack of sandbags. She wrapped her arms around the young Huntress, shielding her from any stray bullets, explosions, or debris.

Ruby, however, wanted to fight. She needed to help her friends and schoolmates rather than be in Yang's grip, but she didn't struggle. If Yang almost died in front of her eyes, she would never let go of her sister ever again. Ruby held onto Crescent Rose, hoping that her friends are safe behind cover.

"No!" Blake yelled as Weiss tackled her, landing behind a fallen tree. Blake squirmed in her grip, trying to break free.

"Let them go, Blake! They're gone!" She screamed at her, keeping her safe from enemy fire that was passing over their heads.

"I can still save them! Let go!" The cat Faunus broke free and ran forward behind another tree. "I can still…" Blake's amber eyes fell upon one of the team members of FAWN, at least, what was left of the poor Huntress.

The body was riddled with bullet holes, blood pouring out of them. It wasn't the first time Blake had seen a body, but this was her friend. The Huntress grabbed her hand feeling the heat leave her dead corpse.

A lone enemy soldier charged at the numb Blake, ready to kill the unaware Huntress. However, he was immediately frozen in a pillar of ice. Weiss stabbed the ground with her rapier, turning the ice pillar into an ice wall, creating cover for the students to retreat.

Weiss walked next to the mourning cat Faunus and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Blake…I'm sorry but we need to fall back, regroup with Ruby and Yang, and get out of here."

Blake didn't respond. She just stared at the friend in front of her. Team FAWN was one of Blake's first Faunus friends in Beacon other than Velvet. They realized that Blake was a cat Faunus because of her distinct smell only other Faunus could recognize. Blake didn't know if Jibril knew about her being a Faunus, but it was a high possibility that she did. FAWN and Blake would always complain to each other about Faunus problems that her teammates would never understand, like unnatural food cravings.

Weiss looked up as cracks began to form on the wall of ice she created. She looked through it, watching the soldiers come closer and closer. The unknown enemy wore different uniforms and armor, but they were purple and teal colored. She noticed a symbol on the armor of the soldier she froze inside the wall. She didn't recognize it at all. Weiss didn't have time to think as the crack formed right before her eyes.

The heiress couldn't wait for Blake to answer and grabbed her wrist. She dragged her as far away as she could from the ice wall and the enemy. "What are you guys doing!? Fire back, damn it!" Weiss screamed at the cowering students. She very well knew that the soldiers wouldn't hold long against the enemy since the soldiers before only lasted a few minutes.

Some of the students responded and raised their weapons against the enemy after the Weiss' ice wall collapsed. If they didn't have their weapons, they called for their lockers that contained them. Others, however, didn't move. Frozen by fear, they stayed behind cover, hoping that everything would stop and their normal lives would return. That everything around them was just a nightmare, a terrible, horrific nightmare.

Blake's hand balled up into a fist, her nails digging into her palm. Anger and resentment poisoned her mind, unholstering Gambol Shroud and firing at the unknown soldiers. She screamed out of rage, her ammunition going through the armor they were wearing. Yang and Ruby looked up, hearing the battle cry that came from their stoic teammate.

"Yang, we have to help them." Ruby told her before holding Yang's hand. "I'm a big girl, sis. I'll live, okay?"

Yang looked into her silver eyes and gave her one last hug. "Don't stay away for too long, okay?"

Yang let go as her lilac eyes turned red, her Aura giving Ruby temporary warmth. She got out of cover, Ember Celica extended out around her fists. Yang began to shadowbox, letting the enemy taste the shots of her shotgun gauntlets every time she jabbed forward. The blonde Huntress immediately found Blake and Weiss, a few meters away from them.

Ruby extended Crescent Rose into its scythe form and swung at the ground to stabilize her shots. "Yang, find Goodwitch and let her know that the second years need cover on this side!"

Yang nodded and began to weave in and out through enemy fire, running towards the rear of the extraction point. She dared not to look at the bloodied ground around her as she ran for the sake of her sanity. A certain orange-haired girl appeared in her peripherals, sweat beading down her face.

Nora had Magnhild in its grenade launcher form, smoke coming out from its barrel from its recent usage. "Have you seen Ren? I can't find him anywhere!" Nora yelled worryingly over the loud noise of the battle.

"I haven't seen him since the Amphitheater! Have you seen professor Goodwitch?" Yang stopped behind some metal crates for a quick rest. "We need to get the second years out of here!"

Nora crouched behind the metal crates and began firing her grenade launcher at the enemy. "I think she was with Ozpin! Check near the transports!" Yang nodded and patted Nora's back before running towards the transports.

The orange-haired Valkyrie continued to fire until she found Jaune and Pyrrha behind cover. She ran forward, dodging enemy fire. Nora dove behind the sandbags, scaring Jaune.

"Nora!? Don't run out in the open like that!" Jaune scolded. He looked around as Pyrrha was firing Miló in its rifle form. "Where's Ren?"

"I was hoping you knew!" Nora's worry started to turn into fear. There was no sign of him since the Amphitheater. She knew that he wasn't good when it came to running long distances, but Nora helped him a lot during the three years. She looked over the sandbags and surveyed the battlefield. Her turquoise eyes fell upon many of the students whose lives were fading away on the ground. Nora, however, felt guilty that she was slightly happy. Ren wasn't part of the students she saw laying on the dirt, so she assumed that he must still be alive.

Before her optimistic mind started to think of the worst, Pyrrha yelled out Ren's name while she reloaded her rifle. Ren did a front flip, coincidentally dodging enemy shots, and landed in front of Nora.

The Huntress wrapped her arms around him in a big bear hug. "Sorry to have scared you, Nora. I'm okay…though I can't say the same to many of our schoolmates." He grieved, looking over the destruction of the battlefield.

Nora let go and planted a kiss on his lips. "I was about start making sloth noises so we can find each other!" Nora cheered with a big smile. She cleared her throat and addressed her team. "Yang said that we need to get the second years out of the battle."

Jaune and Pyrrha nodded. "Let's split up and let everyone know to tell the second years to head to the transports. Pyrrha and I will head east, Nora, Ren, go west. We'll regroup closer to the transports." The team agreed and went their separate ways.

* * *

"Bart, Peter, get every second year to the transports immediately! We need to make room for the other group of transports for the third years. Glynda, make sure the retreating students have energy shields for cover so they won't get shot in the back." Ozpin instructed, the blood wiped off his face and glasses, though still present on his clothes.

He turned to Yang as she rested behind some cover. "Thank you for coming. I can't see as well as I used to in my reasonably old age. What's the situation?"

"It's…terrible. We are holding them, but we lost so many on the ambush. The enemy is using some technology I have never seen before. Those things they are firing at us aren't Dust ammunition. I don't know what they are." Yang reported to him, her Aura glowing brighter due to the anger she was keeping inside. She looked around, trying to find a certain group. "Where are Nova and his team?"

"I am not sure. They were present for the attack but they seem to have disappeared." Ozpin turned to see some students beginning to jump into the transports. "I won't keep you away from your sister any longer. Make sure everyone is safe, Ms. Xiao Long." Yang thanked Ozpin and ran back to Ruby as fast as she could. She scanned her surroundings, looking at the students who were screaming out of pain of their injuries or the loss of their friends. Her nails dug deep in her palm, the anger building inside her.

Yang heard a familiar voice within the screams. She felt her heart sink when she focused on what the voice was yelling. "Blake! Hang on, Blake! Blake!"

* * *

**A/N: The nock of the arrow is the bottom end of the arrow. It's where the arrow comfortably rests itself on the string. It's picked up now as well! Let's see how many of you get my reference at the beginning and at the middle. The start of the Invasion of Beacon Academy starts now! Any questions, comments, concerns, reviews, etc. is welcome~**


	6. Invasion of Beacon Academy II

Yang ran towards Ruby who was with Blake and Weiss. Her red eyes fell upon Blake clenching her left shoulder, blood flowing through her hand and staining her black clothing. Her face was contorted with pain, yet determination filled her amber eyes. "Blake! What happened!?"

"She got shot in the shoulder by a sniper." Weiss explained frantically, ripping a part of Ruby's cape to use as a bandage. "You were too reckless! I told you that your Aura was low and you still got up!"

Blake cringed as Weiss wrapped the torn cape around her wound and shoulder. "I'm alright. I've had worse while I was in the White Fang." She grits her teeth, fumbling with her pistol magazine on the floor, trying to reload Gambol Shroud with her good arm.

"Blake, you can't!" Ruby grabbed her wrist and stopped her from reloading. "You need to leave with the third years when more transports arrive!"

Blake tried to struggle away from Ruby, but her injuries hindered her strength. She wanted to avenge her friends. She couldn't just stop because of a shoulder injury. She refuses to sit back and watch her friends die one by one. Not again. "I can't stop. I have to keep fighting."

"You can't help them anymore!" Weiss scolded. Ruby and Yang were confused, looking back and forth between Weiss and Blake.

The heiress turned to the two sisters with a sorrowful expression. "Team FAWN was killed during the ambush. Blake tried to save them, but it was too late."

Ruby took Gambol Shroud from Blake's hand and held it in her own. "I'm sorry, Blake. I know how close you are with them, but they wouldn't want you risking your life for them now. We need to get you to a doctor."

Blake shook her head, not wanting to give up. Yang, however, glared her down with her red eyes. "Remember what I told you? Don't stop, just slow down. We will get them back, but you need to get some rest."

The cat Faunus' determined eyes stared into Yang's, but she conceded. Weiss grabbed Blake's good arm and put it over her shoulders. "We're too far from the rest of the group. Let's go before we get killed."

Ruby and Yang laid down some covering fire as Weiss helped the reluctant Blake get out of danger. The situation was getting worse by the minute as the enemy forces didn't seem to stop coming at them. They were lucky that no air forces were bombing them, but the sniper fire and accurate shots from the soldiers were taking a catastrophic toll on Vale's numbers and morale.

* * *

Nova stared down as the battle raged on. Both sides were taking casualties left and right. His dark violet eyes focusing on specific people like Yang and her teammates. He turned to Archer, whose eyes were glaring down at the army who ambushed them. The four mysterious teammates were floating above the battle, no one focusing in the sky since their targets were in front of them.

Jibril's halo had expanded above her, using her special semblance to keep her teammates floating with her. "By my calculations, Beacon Academy's forces will be annihilated in half an hour. We have enough time to escape into the forest." Noir explained. He pressed a button on his helmet, letting his facemask retreat into it, showing his clear, blue eyes and expressionless face.

Archer's expression softened as he took a deep breath. "No, not this time. They should have known we are here due to Jibril destroying the squad of Tridents with her weapon." Archer tightened his grip on his golden, unbalanced weapon. "They dare try to kill me, then they shall have my judgment."

"Let us pass that judgment for you, my king. You have not the need to soil your treasures with the blood of traitors." Jibril bowed her head as she made her request. Archer, however, refused. "They are my people. I shall deliver it myself."

"I advise to try and convince them first. Based on the symbols, the commander of these forces is Primarch Micaiah. There is a 30% chance they may defect and join us due to her loyalty to you." Noir suggested. Archer nodded, a smug expression on his face.

* * *

"Ruby, guys, over here!" Jaune yelled, waving from behind cover. Nora stood up and fired some smoke grenades, giving Weiss and the injured Blake enough time and cover to make their way to team JNPR.

"The third years are loading up into the transports as we speak." Pyrrha informed them, holding onto a radio she picked up from a dead soldier. "We can hold until they take off safely, but…"

The red-haired Huntress looked over the metal crates, watching the enemy soldiers come closer to them. "We may not make it out as easily." Pyrrha dropped the radio and grabbed Miló. She reloaded her weapon before firing at them. Her accuracy was still the best in Beacon, not one shot missing their mark.

"We have to get Blake on those transports." Yang told them before standing up and firing her own shots at the incoming enemy. It seemed futile, though. For every person the two Huntresses take down, two more took their place.

"Move!" Someone screamed before Yang ducked under the metal crates. Cardin Winchester dove over the crates and joined RWBY and JNPR behind cover.

"Cardin!? Where's the rest of your team?" Jaune asked. Team CRDL weren't on good terms with anyone in Beacon Academy, but they have gotten much more tolerable in the three years. Either it was them actually maturing as people or everyone else has gotten used to their terrible personalities.

"Dead. Fools ran the moment the ambush started, leaving me alone behind cover. They ran right into the line of fire. That's what they get for acting like cowards." Cardin growled, holding his mace and a pistol he picked up from the enemy soldiers.

The pistol was dark purple and much more advanced than any weapon they have seen. There was no magazine chamber under the grip like regular pistols, so they couldn't tell where it got its ammo. The trigger guard extended to the bottom of the grip and to the end of the barrel. The same symbol that Weiss saw on their armor was also found on the large trigger guard.

"They're your teammates who you lead for over three years! How can you insult them like that!?" Pyrrha demanded, annoyed at the disrespect he has to his 'friends.' Cardin rolled his eyes and ignored her. He looked over to Blake, the blood dripping from the soaked rag covering it. Blake was just glaring at him. Cardin may have matured, but his hate for Faunus was still known to everyone, especially Blake.

"Nice to see you too." He remarked before looking at Jaune. "You got a plan, Jauney boy?"

Before Jaune can respond, he turned his head towards Pyrrha. "Did you hear that?"

Pyrrha tilted her head in confusion, unable to hear what Jaune was hearing. "I don't hear anything, Jaune."

"Exactly." Jaune added before peeking over the crates. His eyes scanned the battlefield, trying to figure out what was going on. The foes, clad in purple and teal armor, were just hiding behind cover, their guns lowered.

"Why did…they stop?" Blake asked with a weary voice. The blood loss was starting to affect her much more than anticipated. Weiss unwrapped the rag and tore off another piece of Ruby's cape, much to her dissent, and covered her wound again. "It doesn't matter. We have a chance to get you to the transports now. Ruby, help me while they aren't shooting at us."

"Guys, look!" Nora pointed up over their head. The two teams and the Hunters around them gazed up at the sky. Archer stood next to his teammates, floating high above the ground. Jibril had her hands on Archer and Nova's shoulders. Noir seemed to be flying on his own, presumably because of his robotic mobile suit.

"Soldiers of the Cizinec Sovereignty, cease your treacherous acts at once." Archer orders with a booming voice. "As your rightful king, you will lay down your weapons and beg for forgiveness. Your leader, Primarch Micaiah, is known for her loyalty to me. I recognize this and I shall give you one last chance. Stop now and your judgment will be mitigated. Betray me once more, and you shall feel my wrath."

The Hunters couldn't believe what they were hearing. Archer is a king? From their knowledge, there were only four kingdoms in the world of Remnant, each of them having a council to decide their laws and decisions, not kings. Yet, this was also a sovereignty. A whole other kingdom that none of them have ever heard of.

"Whoa…are they aliens?" Ruby whispered. Weiss shushed her as they continued to sneak away from the enemies, holding on to their wounded teammate.

The soldiers looked at each other and waited for an order. Oobleck sprinted next to Jaune and Yang, breathing heavily from all the running he has done. "The third years are out, the last of the transports are arriving shortly. What is happening?"

Nova swung his sword in front Archer, quickly using the claymore to block an incoming sniper shot. The rest of the soldiers raised their weapons, the order given through the radios in their helmets.

Archer raised his weapon, making it perpendicular to the ground. "You dare defy me, take granted of my kindness, and have the audacity to try and assassinate me, you rebellious cur. I, Gilgamesh, your king, shall make sure you suffer!" He twisted the grip, the golden shapes and contraptions moving and rotating around his hand.

The Cizinec soldiers fired their weapons at them. Jibril's halo lowered, surrounding the four teammates as she recited a spell, "Eternal Fourth Protection." A cross appeared in each of her eyes and it began to glow gold. A blue shield circled the team within the halo and absorbed the strange ammunition being fired at them.

The rectangular blade began to glow from Gilgamesh's weapon and a large, labyrinth like pattern emerged from it. It consumed the sky for a few moments before receding back into the blade. The weapon turned into dust as a golden armor began to appear on his body. The sunlight reflected off the armor, the wind blowing on the red cape that hung from his waist that extended down to his heels.

The Hunters couldn't believe what they were seeing. Oobleck, however, didn't have the time to get distracted by the sudden change of the situation. "Jaune, get everyone out of here now. We will use this opportunity to retreat and escape. The last of the transports should be here in a few seconds." Oobleck took a deep breath and sprinted away.

Jaune nodded while watching the scene unfold. "Okay guys, let's get out of here. Arch-, um, Gilgamesh and his team will keep them distracted until we're on the ships, hopefully." The team forced their eyes to look away and nodded. They split up once more to tell their schoolmates and the surviving Vale soldiers the plan.

Nova's dark violet eyes trailed on the retreating Hunters. "They are escaping, sir. Shall we join them after we have dealt with the scum?"

Multiple golden ripples started to fill the air around them. Weapons began to come out of the golden ripples, their blades pointing at the soldiers who betrayed him. "Of course, we will need their strength to help me retake what belongs to me."

Ruby, Weiss, and Blake slowly made their way to the edge of the cliff, where the military Bullheads were beginning to arrive. Ruby and Weiss sat Blake down in one of the transports and jumped out, waiting for the rest of their friends to join them.

The two Huntresses watched the battle turn to their favor as weapons rained down onto the soldiers. As much as Weiss was glad that they were on their side at the moment, she couldn't help feel that it was entirely their fault that this was happening. Whoever they were, king or not, they needed to answer for the pain they brought to Beacon, to Vale, and to the four kingdoms of Remnant.

Yang and team JNPR ran towards them, the rest of the Hunters and Huntresses running into their own transports. Ozpin and Goodwitch joined Ruby and Weiss, boarding their Bullhead. Yang jumped in and went to Blake's side with Goodwitch who started to clean Blake's wound. The professor unwrapped the hastily made bandage from Ruby's cape and poured disinfecting alcohol on the wound.

Blake didn't wince in pain, her whole left side being numb. Her vision began to blur as Yang tried to keep her awake. "Blake, whatever you do, don't fall asleep. You can't have a cat nap right now." She joked, though it didn't help much.

Ruby, Weiss, and team JNPR waited outside to make sure no one was left behind. They also watched the ensuing chaos before them. The group spotted Nova diving into the middle of the army, using his claymore to decapitate his enemies or slice them in two. It was a frightening sight to see, knowing that the shy, calming Nova whom usually had a smile on his face could easily take a life with no hesitation.

They knew how he fought, so they weren't too worried about Nova. The group was more worried about Noir, who was taking shot after shot like he was a target practice dummy. However, he would only fall for a few seconds before getting back up and continue eliminating his enemies.

They couldn't tell what he was doing to kill his the soldiers either. Every time he pulled the trigger to his long barreled pistol, the enemies would turn into dust in an instant. Yet, the soldiers remained calm at the situation given to them, a situation that could be considered a mass genocide of the Cizinec army. Heads were rolling, guts were falling out of the bodies that were cut in half, and people were being impaled by the weapons flying towards them, curtesy of Gilgamesh. Ruby turned away, unable to watch anymore of the gruesome battle.

Ozpin looked out of the ship, watching the last few Hunters get into their transports and take off. "Ladies, gentleman it's time to leave." The headmaster turned to the pilots and let them know they can take off once the two teams got into the Bullhead.

"Wait! Nova and his team aren't here!" Ruby interrupted. "We can't just leave them after helping us escape!"

"I hate to say it, but we have to wait for them. They need to explain what is going on. If anything, we can use them to help us fight against that army." Weiss pointed out. Ozpin debated the idea in his mind when Nova was thrown to the edge of the cliff. He rolled on the ground and stopped himself before colliding with the transport.

"Nova or whatever you real name is, we need to go. Get your team over here now." Weiss demanded.

Ruby grabbed her partner and pulled her aside as Nova began to block the incoming fire from the soldiers he was fighting with his claymore. Jaune and Pyrrha opened their shields, giving cover for Ren and Nora. The black armored swordsman swiftly swung his sword, blocking most of the shots that came towards him and his classmates. The few shots that made it past him hit Jaune or Pyrrha's shields.

Two soldiers sprinted up and kneeled down, pointing their rocket launchers at the transport behind the Hunters. Nova noticed this and immediately threw his claymore at one of the soldiers using his unbelievable strength. The claymore pierced through the soldier and a tree behind him. The second rocket launcher, however, fired at the airship. The doors closed and the transport managed to fly out of its path, leaving Ruby and Jaune's team behind.

Yang jumped away from Blake and opened the airship's doors during flight. Her lilac eyes locked onto Ruby, hiding behind Nova with Weiss. "We have to go back!" She demanded from the pilots.

They refused, mentioning the Cizinec Tridents that have come into range and will engage them if they got any closer to the cliff. Yang growled and backed up to the opposite edge of the ship. She started to dash forward before Goodwitch grabbed her, preventing the hasty Huntress from jumping out of the Bullhead.

Ruby watched as the transport flew off, dodging the rocket. "How are we going to escape now!?" Weiss complained, nearly ducking away from a bullet that got past Nova's defenses. She spun Myrtenaster's Dust chamber and stabbed the ground, creating another ice wall with the rest of her ice Dust.

Ruby examined her surroundings, trying to figure out what to do. She couldn't let her team and friends down now. Her silver eyes glanced over to Nova, who watched the soldiers advance towards them. The Huntress' gaze trailed down to his feet, disappointed at herself for not thinking of a way out. Though, noticing what Nova was standing on, she quickly found the answer she was looking for. "Guys, we can use the launch pads to get to the ship!"

Ruby ran up next to Nova with Weiss in tow. "Pyrrha, can you figure out which launch pad will get us closest to the airship?" Pyrrha nodded and began running calculations in her head. Over the years, they have used the launch pad for multiple occasions, the very first one being the initiation where she helped Jaune with his 'landing strategy.' Each launch pad was different in terms of launching speed and trajectory, which poised some trouble for the red-haired Huntress.

After doing the calculations, Pyrrha pointed at the farthest one to the west. "That one will get us right on top of it." The group of Hunters ran to the launch pad, readying themselves to be shot up.

Yang struggled and argued with Goodwitch about stopping her from jumping out when Ozpin interrupted them both. "Ms. Rose has got an idea. Glynda, please stop arguing with her and prepare to catch them." Goodwitch was confused at first before looking out and seeing Ruby flying through the air towards the ship.

Yang ran in front of her and caught Ruby as she flew inside. "I'm so glad you're okay, Ruby." She exclaimed happily, hugging her baby sister in her arms. "Have you gained weight? You have to stop eating cookies, you know." The blonde smirked, followed with a chuckle before letting Ruby stand own her own.

Ruby blushed and pushed her. "Yang, don't say that! Come on, we have to catch everyone else." Yang giggled and began catching everyone else so her friends don't painfully hit the floor of the ship. Jaune caught Pyrrha when she flew in, both blushing as Jaune carried her bridal style. Glynda caught Nora and set her down using her riding crop. "Thanks professor Goodwitch."

Nora waited for Ren who was still flying in the air. "I got you Ren!" Nora assured with a smile. Her smile, however, disappeared instantly as she watched Ren get shot through the back. Blood spilled out from the exit hole in his upper chest, the injured Hunter in disbelief of the sudden occurrence.

His body rag dolled forward, making Goodwitch use her riding crop to form a shield around Ren, catching him to prevent his head from colliding with the underside of the ship. Nora grabbed her partner and lowered him onto the floor, his head resting on her lap. "Ren, Ren, answer me!"

Ren's eyes were closed as he coughed up blood. Jaune and Pyrrha put their hands on the entry and exit wounds, putting pressure on it. Nova jumped into the ship, avoiding the group around Blake and Ren. Ozpin closed the doors and gave the pilots the signal to start flying away.

Jaune and Pyrrha's hands were red from their teammate's blood. They tried to put as much pressure as possible, but he was losing too much blood. Ozpin held Ren's wrist, checking his pulse. "We're losing him."

Nora was over Ren, watching him die. Her turquoise eyes welled up in tears. "Ren, please…don't go."

* * *

**A/N: Yikes! First Blake, now Ren!? You must hate me XD. I will say this now, whatever happens to Ren is planned way before the news was released. It has nothing to do with M.O. Hope you are liking the story so far! We find out who Archer or should I say Gilgamesh really is, and what the 5th Kingdom of Remnant is called!**

**The Bullhead btw is what they called the airships, like the ones Roman used in the docks and the one team CFVY was riding in the last episode of S2. I will also explain all the semblances and everything in the future, so be patient! ****Also Primarch is equivalent to rank General in this story!**

**Questions, comments, reviews, etc. is welcome~**


	7. The Last Transport

"Blake! Blake!" Yang yelled at her bleeding partner. Blake's eyes began to flutter close, losing strength from the severe amount of blood loss. She could feel her Aura deplete from her body as Goodwitch checked her pulse. Out of the corner of the cat Faunus' eye, she saw Ruby and Weiss run into view.

Blake watched as Yang, Weiss, and Ruby screamed at her and at each other. Their words were incoherent to her ears, not being able to decipher what they were saying. Tears began to fall from their eyes as they watched her.

Blake felt a tug in her heart, unable to bear the sight of her loved teammates see her in this sorry state. Her lips barely moved, trying to assure them, but no words left her mouth. The amber eyes closed and all the incomprehensible sounds fell silent.

She reopened her eyes, but all she saw was darkness. The Huntress felt her strength return to her, able to move freely without feeling any sort of pain. Blake stood up, her body completely healed, but nothing was around her. Only the color of black and the sound of silence filled her senses.

"Where am I?" She asked, her voice echoing in the vast nothingness. A bright light shined in front of her, causing her to cover her eyes for a few moments.

'It's time.' Blake's ears twitched at the sound of the voice. A familiar voice, a voice that she thought she would never hear from again.

'Okay.' The Huntress' eyes widened and turned towards the light. That time, it was her voice.

"Oh, I see…" Blake uttered, now watching her memories from her point of view.

_I'm dead…_

Random scenes played in the darkness, giving off the only light in the darkness. Her memories of joining Beacon, meeting Yang in Emerald Forest, and fighting the Nevermore and Death Stalker with team RWBY and JNPR flashed first. Then her memories of the good times she had in the White Fang, spending time with her old partner Adam, fighting for equality and justice the right way, and seeing a small change from their success. Following Adam wherever he went and covering his back whenever he needed it.

Blake sighed and smiled, tears streaming down her face as the memories flashed from one moment to the next. She didn't need to hold back her emotions anymore. There was no one here to see it, no one here to judge her for it. Blake moved her hand to wipe her tear stained cheeks, but they kept coming down. Instead, she pulled on her bow, letting her cat ears free from the cloth's embrace.

The cat Faunus' final memories began to play. She could barely see from her teary, blurry vision. Blake watched the documentary of her life through her eyes. The final memories were with Sun and the fun times she had with him. Their first real date together, their first time being alone in a room together, the crazy situations that they were forced into due to team RWBY and team SSSN spying on them from time to time. None of the memories she watched were bad, scary, or filled with negative emotions.

The memory ended with all her loved ones faces showing one last time. Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, Ren, Sun, even Adam when he was younger, her name being called by all of them. The light faded away as one last word was said, the same word that she told her old partner.

'Goodbye…'

* * *

The Bullhead was silent, the only noise that filled their ears were the pilots radios and the engines. Every single person was focusing on one task, a task that could possibly save the lives of their friends. Yang, Weiss, Ruby, and Goodwitch were focusing on transferring their Aura to Blake, hopefully speeding up the process of the healing. When Goodwitch checked her wounds, she couldn't find the bullet that hit her, but she noticed that it went through a major artery around her upper chest and shoulder. If it wasn't for Weiss' quick bandaging, she would've died a long time ago.

Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ozpin did the same thing for Ren, the blood pooling under him. The strange ammunition pierced the aorta right above his heart. His Aura kept him alive, but even with the help of his friends and the headmaster, he needed immediate medical help. Not even the strongest Aura user can help someone with a hole in his or her chest.

Nova watched from the side as a spectator, everyone concentrating on their task at hand. He left his claymore behind, along with his teammates, though he didn't need to worry about them. The lone member raised his hand and adjusted the volume of his wireless radio earpiece, given to him before they engaged the Cizinec soldiers. Nova pressed a button and began to report to his teammates. "This is Demon, I have escaped with the Hunters in the last airship…No, my liege…"

Ozpin stopped transferring his Aura once he checked Ren's pulse again. Pyrrha looked up and noticed the look of Ozpin's expression. The Huntress moved her hands from under his body that was covering the entry wound of the bullet. Her vivid green eyes looked over to Ren's calm face, blood around his mouth and chin.

"Pyrrha, what are you doing!?" Jaune looked up, tired from giving his dying teammate the entirety of his Aura reserves.

Pyrrha put her blood stained hands on top of Jaune's hands, her sorrowful eyes staring at his. Her courage diminished at the thought of what she was about to say. "Jaune…"

Tears formed around his blue eyes. Jaune grabbed Pyrrha's hands, unable to accept what she was implying. She went next to Jaune and held on to him, tears starting to fall from her eyes, too. Ren was his closest friend in Beacon. He was a brother to Jaune, a brother that he couldn't protect. Compared to how Nora was handling it, though, Jaune was doing great.

Nora looked up, her eyes filled with tears and anger. "What are you guys doing!? Come on, Ren needs us!" She continued to fruitlessly transfer her Aura to Ren. Neither Jaune nor Pyrrha had the courage to tell her, to tell the sweet, bubbly girl that her boyfriend was gone.

Team RWBY's concentration wavered at the sound of Nora's voice. Their heads turned to witness Jaune and Pyrrha mourning over Ren, while Nora continued to transfer her Aura. They knew what it meant. The three members began to tear up again at the loss of one of their closest friends. Their focus returned to Blake, who stood on the thin line of life and death. The new bandages that Goodwitch put were already soaked with blood, the wound not showing any signs of healing.

The ship finally landed in an open area in front of the military base. Soldiers were running around frantically, giving orders, running errands, preparing defenses, amongst other things. The Hunters and Huntresses who came were separated into a different area of the base being attended by medical personnel. The doors of the final transport ship opened and Nora rushed out.

"Medic! We need a doctor now!" Nora screamed. Two soldiers ran to them, a red cross on their helmets and armbands.

Ozpin stepped out of the ship and put his hand on the teary-eyed girl. It was heartbreaking for him to see her in such a state. The headmaster always loved the optimism of the orange-haired Valkyrie. "He's gone, Nora. I'm so sorry."

Nora shook her head and turned to him. "He's not! Ren is just unconscious from the blood loss! We can still save him!" She ran past the headmaster and back onto the ship to his side. Nora wouldn't give up on Ren, like how he would never give up for her. Ozpin turned to the medics, telling them about Blake and the equipment they will need.

"Hey, Blake, we're here. You're going to get…" Yang turned to her partner and froze. Blake was very pale, her chest not moving, signaling that she wasn't breathing. The blonde Huntress grabbed her hand, eyes widening from lack of body heat. "Blake!"

Weiss and Ruby, who were watching Nora stroke Ren's hair, turned to Blake. Goodwitch checked her pulse as Weiss walked out of the ship. "Where's that doctor!?" She screamed.

Goodwitch shook her head. "I can't find it. Weiss, do you have any lightning Dust left?" Weiss turned with a frustrated expression. "I'm all out of Dust."

Yang began shaking Blake's limp body. "Blake, it's not funny anymore! Come on, Ruby already did this!" Unfortunately, the cat Faunus was unresponsive to anyone. Yang's grip tightened to the point where Goodwitch had to stop her from accidentally hurting her even more.

The doctors finally rushed in, pushing Yang aside so they can get to work. Her lilac eyes watched in horror, afraid that the doctors won't save her in time. They got down on their knees and took out a defibrillator, laying Blake down from her sitting position on the wall. "Clear."

They used the defibrillator powered by lightning Dust to try and restart her heart once again. Yang, Ruby, and Weiss watched Blake's body jolt up from the shock and rest back down. The doctors shook their head and tried again. "Clear."

The other doctors around Ren inspected the wound and saw the amount of blood around him. They did a standard examination of him, though they knew that he was beyond saving at this point. Ren was shot through the aorta, the main artery of the human body. He would have bled out in minutes, seconds if he wasn't a Hunter with a strong Aura. Nora stepped aside and watched nervously, her hopeful mask starting to crumble.

Nova, who was watching the entire scene, stepped out of the ship and looked up at the sky. Ozpin walked up next to him and stared at the sky as well. "I expect an explanation for this." His tone was serious, his gaze trailing the black smoke that rose from the city of Vale. "Nova Malthael or perhaps Demon, don't try and run from this. Even if we lose the upcoming war, we will live up to our name and hunt you down."

Nova crossed his arms, his dark violet eyes never leaving the sky. "I understand your grief and resentment. We will not run and your explanation will be given."

Ozpin's eyes followed Nova's gaze. He found three people, flying through the air towards them. The headmaster could only assume that it was Jibril and the rest of her team. Archer, who is now known as Gilgamesh, along with Jibril and Noir began to float down to the floor. Ozpin just stared at them with curiosity and a hint of anger.

* * *

"Why aren't you helping him!? He needs a blood transfusion now!" Nora demanded, being held back by Jaune and Pyrrha. The doctors looked at each other with fear in their eyes. They couldn't do anything that would save Ren at this point. He's just lost too much blood. They apologized and left the ship, leaving a hostile Nora behind.

"Fine! I'll save him myself!" Nora struggled out of Jaune and Pyrrha's grip and kneeled down to Ren. She grabbed one of his StormFlowers and looked inside the First Aid Kit. Nora and Ren had the same blood type, so she knew what she needed to do. Jaune went beside her and grabbed her hand before Nora did anything. He took a deep breath and spoke to her with all the courage he had left. "He's gone, Nora. Ren…Ren isn't coming back."

Nora shook her head and ripped her hand out of his grasp. "He can't be." Her downcast eyes stared down at Ren's calm, pale face. "Ren said he'll always be there for me…he can't be gone." Nora had no more tears left to shed. She put StormFlower down and held Ren's cold hands with her bloodstained ones. Nora intertwined her fingers in his, hoping that he would wake up.

"This is a joke…right? Ren would never lie to me, even if it is part of his name!" She joked with a smile, though Nora was far from being happy. She may never be happy again without Ren at her side, his calming personality keeping her overactive one in check.

The doctors around Blake managed to restart her heart, though it was only for a few minutes before she flat-lined again. Yang, Ruby, and Weiss held each other's hands nervously as they watched the doctors try and save Blake. They wanted to do anything to help their beloved teammate, but the three Huntresses felt useless. All they could do now was watch from the side, hoping, praying, and begging that she would wake up once more.

Another doctor ran inside with a bag of blood and medical equipment. Once they get Blake's pulse, they will try and transfuse the blood into her. With the help of a special doctor who utilizes her Aura and has a semblance specifically for healing other people's wounds, they may be able to stabilize Blake.

Goodwitch stepped out of the airship and walked over to Ozpin who was being attended by the doctors, though he wishes for them to go and help other people with more serious injuries than his own. She greeted her longtime friend and boss before setting her sights on Nova's team. "What do we do with them? Like Weiss said before, we need them if we are to fight back against…what they call, the Cizinec?"

Ozpin waved the doctors off after they finished putting a few bandages on him. "They said that they will not run. We can assume that they may help us through this terrible time." Ozpin took off his glasses and tried to clean it with his scarf, only to find that it was dirty with blood along with the rest of his clothing.

He sighed and put them back on. "Our fate lies with the four members of team ANJN. The Cizinec are strong, strong enough to get through our defenses undetected and destroy us in less than 3 hours."

Team ANJN walked past the questioning soldiers, ignoring their concerns and threats. The soldiers, civilians, Hunters, and Huntresses watched the four members, fear resonating throughout the camp because of their frightening appearance.

Jibril's eyes still had the glowing, gold, cross shape in her pupils. The blood dripped from her snow-white wings, giving off an image of the 'Angel of Death.' Noir didn't have blood on him, though the look of his obsidian black mobile suit was enough. It reminded them of the purple high-tech armor some of the Cizinec soldiers wore.

Ozpin took a bow as Gilgamesh approached them. Glynda, however, was reluctant to do the same. The king had a smirk on his face as he approached the headmaster. "You may lift your head. Demon tells me you wish for an explanation. You shall receive it, but not right now. First, care for your students. My subordinates and I shall make camp in this…"

He investigated the base within his view and made a dissatisfied expression. "…poor excuse of a base." The golden armored king strolled past Ozpin, Jibril following behind. Nova and Noir made their way to the transport.

Jaune and Pyrrha were outside of the entrance of the airship. They had small injuries and cuts which were bandaged up by the doctors around the base. Jaune turned his head and saw the two approach them. "It's good to see you, Noir." Jaune greeted him. Pyrrha stepped in front of him, her eyes glaring the two down. She didn't forget that he drew his pistols, the same pistols that turned people into dust, at them in the Amphitheater.

Noir was about to reach for his holstered pistols when Nova stopped him. His hands moved away from the guns and instead pressed a button on his helmet, letting his facemask collapse into his black helmet. "It's good to see you too, Jaune. Is Blake okay?" Noir asked, concerned about the cat Faunus.

Their faces fell, sympathy filling their expression. "Blake…didn't make it. Her heart stopped on the way here. They managed to revive her, but the doctors couldn't stabilize Blake. Her heart stopped again and we couldn't do anything after that." Pyrrha explained to them.

Pyrrha and Jaune led them up the ramp into the Military Bullhead. Nora was still with Ren, stroking his hair. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang were on the other side of the ship with the lifeless Blake. The ship was silent, letting the wretched atmosphere fill the air.

Weiss looked up and saw the two members of team ANJN enter the Bullhead. She let out a small growl and stood up, drawing the empty Myrtenaster. Her eyes were bloodshot from all the crying. "How dare you, after everything that has happened to us!?" Weiss broke the silence with her booming yell. She knew that they may not be involved with the events that transpired, but the Schnee Heiress needed to blame someone, anyone.

"Weiss, please, not in front of Blake." Ruby mumbled as she grabbed Weiss' wrist.

Noir took a few steps forward and kneeled down in front of Blake. The three other members were defensive, watching his every movement. "How long has she been dead?" Noir inquired, reaching for his pistol.

Yang grabbed his hand before he could reach it. Her pupils were red, showing her anger and semblance. The blonde Huntress had tearstains around her eyes and cheek, but she still looked menacing. Yang glared him down, a glare that would make any person rethink their next move.

"It's okay, Yang. He could help Blake and Ren." Nova assured them, earning stares from everyone, including Nora. As much as they would hate to accept it, they are dead. There was no way for them to bring back. If there was, Ruby would have been all over it. Nora would have been all over it.

Yang let go of his hand and let her gaze fall upon Blake's pale, calm face. "Around fifteen minutes now…" Ruby answered.

Noir nodded, grabbed his pistol, and pointed at Blake. Yang wanted to stop him, but she decided to take Nova's word. Her partner was dead, he couldn't do anything to hurt her anymore. He closed his eyes as his pistol began to glow. They all watched Noir as he pulled the trigger, making Blake glow as well.

* * *

Blake sat down in the darkness, wiping the tears off her face. She yelped, suddenly feeling her body being electrified and checked herself, though she couldn't see what was causing it due to the pitch-black emptiness that surrounded her. "W-What's going on?"

A small light began to fill her eyes. At first, she thought that it was finally time to move on, but familiar voices began to enter her ears. She blinked a few times before Blake finally realized what was happening. Her eyes barely opened, watching a group of people who she didn't know around her, talking at each other about something she couldn't make out. Blake's amber eyes moved to the side, watching Ruby, Weiss, and Yang holding hands, tears falling down their cheeks.

Blake wanted to get up, but she couldn't find the strength to move. Her body was numb, the group of people beginning to raise their voices. Her Faunus ears managed to pick up what they were saying.

"We're losing her…"

"…Blake…up, please!" _Was that Yang…?_

The cat Faunus could feel her strength leaving her once more, her eyes closing once again. Blake forced her eyes opened, expecting to see the same pitch-black darkness that she left. However, it wasn't that at all. The cat Faunus found herself lying on a bed, tucked in under her blankets. She sat up and stared down at them.

Blake didn't care for the change of scenery, she focused on the last few moments she saw before her eyes closed. "They haven't given up on me…" She could feel her tears begin to well up but she held it in. "As much as I want to come back…I can't run from death."

She sighed and got out of the bed, stretching her muscles. She looked around the room, curious at where she could be. It was very different from the darkness that she stayed in when she saw her memories. As the cat Faunus looked around the room, she began to realize where she was. Blake thought that this could be her imagination, but she heard birds from the open window in her room and people talking on the streets outside. The cat Faunus walked to the window, her eyes widening at the sight.

_No way…is this place…_

"Is someone there?" Blake turned around and faced the door. _Of course not…Someone else owns this house now._

She opened the door but there was no one there. She didn't recognize the voice, though Blake felt a strange tugging in her heart. She walked down the stairs, walking past a few pictures that hung from the wall.

"I'm sorry for intruding. I don't know how I..." Blake's voice trailed away as she found the source of the voice. She was a young Faunus woman sitting on the couch, listening to some music. The Faunus had violet cat ears and long, wavy black hair, similar to Blake. The young woman's eyes widened at the sight of her.

"Blake…?"

* * *

**A/N: I'm going to let this chapter speak for itself. R&amp;R :3**


	8. Declaration of War

Blake was speechless at the person in front of her. The Huntress recognized her from the pictures that her father would show her when she was only a little kitty Faunus.

_I don't believe it…My old room…the old neighborhood…_Her amber eyes stared into her mother's brown ones.

"Mom…? I-Is that you?" Blake stuttered nervously, carefully watching her expression.

The young Faunus woman took off her black wireless headphones and rushed over to Blake. She wrapped her arms around the smaller Huntress, tears falling from her cheeks onto Blake's head. "I can't believe it…"

Blake hugged her back, a few tears welling up in her eyes. Her mother died right after she was born and her father would always tell bedtime stories about the wonderful wife he had. Blake always looked up to her just like how Ruby would look up to her late mother.

She let go of Blake and cupped her cheeks. "These are tears of anger, you know…" She claimed with a small chuckle. "I'm mad that you're here when you look so young. What is Maurice doing?"

Blake took her mother's hands in her own and made a sad smile. "It's not dad's fault. I made stupid mistake." She wiped away a few tears as they sat down next to each other.

Blake began to tell her story to her mother. The story of her determination to join the White Fang, like her father, and fight for Faunus equality, the story of how the White Fang changed for the worse, and the story of how she joined Beacon Academy.

"Your father was always a stubborn supporter of the White Fang. To his defense, so was I. We both believed in their cause. To think that they would change so drastically and use equality as an excuse though…" She wrapped an arm around her daughter and started to scratch Blake behind her car ears.

The scratching caught Blake off guard, covering her mouth to stop herself from impulsively purring. A regretful smile fell on her mother's face, watching her daughter enjoy the ear scratching.

"I'm sorry for not being there. You were exposed to the cruelty of the world at such a young age because of your father and me. In the end, you were forced to hide behind a little black bow." She whispered, sadness in her voice.

Blake took her mother's hands away from her cat ears and held it in her hands. She looked up into her mother's eyes with a serious expression. "Don't blame yourself. I chose this life and I would do it again if I have to. The only regret I have is that I didn't convince Adam to leave with me."

Her mother smiled and kissed her forehead. "The Taurus family is good friends of your father and me. They may be hardheaded, but they will always do the right thing. As you said, they are just misguided. He'll come around eventually." Blake leaned her head into her mother's shoulders.

Before Blake could continue on where she left off in her story, she began glow, slightly blinding herself and her mother. "W-What's going on?"

Her mother smiled, barely able to see her daughter. "It looks like you did come here too early." The blinding light filled the room, its brightness rivaling the sunlight.

Blake gave her mother one last hug, wiping her tears of joy and sadness into her clothes. "I'm…going to…miss you." She sobbed, almost not wanting to leave.

"I don't want to see you here for at least another twenty years, you hear me? You'll be grounded if you come back before then." Her mother stroked Blake's wavy hair, the light getting brighter and brighter. She heard a small giggle coming from Blake before the light disappeared. The presence of her daughter in her arms turned to nothing, air filling the empty space.

"Goodbye my little Beauty." Her mother muttered to herself, wiping her tears from her cheeks. "The Taurus Family won't believe what I have to tell them later."

* * *

Blake felt her arms at her sides, her strength returning. She opened her eyes slowly and groaned from laying down on the hard floor of the airship. The cat Faunus sat up, her amber eyes adjusting to the light. She noticed Noir and Nova over at Ren's body before the bodies of her teammates blocked her vision.

"Blake, you're alive!" Ruby screamed in glee, hugging Blake from behind. Weiss sighed in relief and wrapped her arms around Blake and Ruby. Yang had them beat, picking up all three members off their feet using her strength and putting them into her bear hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay! No wounds, scratches, not even any scars!" Yang cheered, squeezing all three of them.

A light began to blind everyone's eyes once again before disappearing. A small groan and delight scream followed it. "Ren, Ren, Ren!" Nora repeated as she embraced Ren from behind, covering her euphoric, tear stained face behind his back.

The Demon placed his hand on Noir shoulders and gave him an approving nod. Jaune and Pyrrha joined Ren's side as he tried to get to Nora who was crying behind him. Both Ren and Blake were completely healed as if nothing happened, except for their bloodstained clothing with holes where the bulleted entered.

Blake managed to struggle out of Yang's hug and walked forward to stop Noir and Nova from sneaking away. She didn't know if they were the ones who caused the invasion, the deaths of so many innocent people, and the loss of her friends and classmates. What Blake does know is that she owed them a debt that can never be repaid.

"Thank you. I don't know how you did it, but thank you." Blake said sincerely.

Noir gave her a small smile and a nod. Ren stood up, Nora refusing to let go of him, and approached them. He, too, owed them for bringing him back to life. Ren thanked them for what they did. Nora peeked from behind his back, her face slightly wet from her tears of joy. She asked the question that everyone forgot to ask, but wanted to know.

"How…how did you bring them back?"

They were eager to hear the explanation, especially Blake. Like everyone here, her friends died right in front of her. Blake felt the body heat leave their dying bodies in the midst of battle. If Noir can heal any injury, even death, than there is a chance to save her friends. Save everyone who died in the battle. If he could, maybe even revive her mother and Ruby's mother.

Noir, however, was hesitant to reveal his method. He turned to the Demon, waiting for the approval to explain it. Nova scratched his head, thinking. He wanted to leave before they began asking questions, hence trying to sneak out.

"Go meet with King and Perfect Soldier, Reaper. The Vale military should start assessing the damages soon and the King will want you there when they start asking questions. I'll explain it to them." Nova told Noir and gave him a pat on the back. The Reaper rolled his eyes and left.

Nova turned to the two teams and thought for a few moments to decide what to say to them. "Reaper, um, I mean Noir can heal any form of injury with the usage of Dust."

Weiss, of course, immediately interrupted him after his first sentence. "That's not possible. There is no type of Dust that can bring someone back to life. I would know, I am the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company."

"The four kingdoms of Remnant only know a small amount of Dust types. The Cizinec Sovereignty has unlocked every single type of Dust in this world." Nova explained.

Everyone was astonished. It is true that there are some Dust types that haven't been discovered or revealed, but to say that they only knew a small amount of them and that there is a type of Dust that can bring someone back to _life_ is, if anything, mind-boggling.

"This is great!" Jaune exclaimed. "Noir can heal everyone in this camp and revive everyone who died today!"

Ruby and her friends were about to cheer, but Nova's face told another story. "I won't let Reaper do that." He sternly remarked.

"Why? With that kind of power, you can save so many lives!" Ruby argued to Nova. The silver-eyed Huntress felt genuine fury inside of her. Why wouldn't he allow Noir revive other people? An airship filled with young Hunters and Huntresses-in-training along with civilians and injured soldiers crashed before their eyes. Noir could have saved them all!

Nova shook his head. "A power that rivals the gods, do you think it comes without a price?" The Bullhead fell silent, letting Demon speak. "Every time the power is used, a large amount of Dust is consumed. To use Dust, a person must have an Aura. In the world of Remnant, every person has an Aura, no matter how small it may be. Unfortunately, Reaper doesn't have one to use, to activate the Dust's abilities."

"How can that be? Everything that has a soul has an Aura, no matter how small it is. Noir, um, Reaper should have an Aura. Are you sure it's not just locked and hidden away inside of him?" Pyrrha inquired, remembering how she unlocked Jaune's Aura during the initiation. "If he doesn't have one, then how could he use Dust in the first place?"

Nova gestured them off the Bullhead as some military personnel came inside and started to restock the ammunition and clean the dried blood off the floor of the ship. Yang smiled as she thought of a brilliant pun. "I feel bad for them. We left a _bloody _mess."

The group glared at her 'brilliant' pun, with Nora booing at her. She had left Ren's back and positioned herself in front of Ren, his warm arms around the smaller Huntress. Nova, however, giggled at the pun, earning a glare from Weiss. "Please don't encourage her."

They made their way towards the tents designated for students of Beacon Academy. "It's not my story to tell on how he doesn't have an Aura and how he can use Dust. When he does heal someone, however, his mind feels 150 times the pain and suffering of the person." Nova explained with downcast eyes.

Blake and Ren stopped in their tracks. Blake grabbed her left shoulder, clenching it as she remembered the pain she felt. Ren tightened his hug on Nora unexpectedly as well. "150 times…" Blake murmured.

"How can he be so calm about it? Noir didn't even flinch when he healed Blake or Ren!" Yang questioned. The blonde Huntress is used to pain because of her semblance, but even she would scream like a little girl if she felt what Noir felt.

The group continued to walk forward with Blake, Ren, and Nora in Ren's arms trailing behind. The two couldn't comprehend it how it was possible. They couldn't imagine what Noir was feeling when he was healing their wounds. Noir basically stuck his middle finger up to death and brought them back and Blake couldn't help but think that he risked much more than pain.

Nova stopped in front of two empty tents and advised the two weary teams to rest. He left them alone to deal with their thoughts and pent-up emotions.

The two teams split off into their tents. The space was smaller than their dorm room, but it had four sleeping bags, a round table, and four wooden chests for their things, if they had any. Within the chests, there was some spare military clothing if they wanted to change, though it didn't suit anyone's style.

The four members of team RWBY sat down on the chairs around the round table, the series of events sinking into their minds. How their life of becoming Hunters and Huntresses was completely destroyed in a few hours, the image of their dead schoolmates laying all around them, the young student would never be the same again.

Everyone had his or her own worries as well. Ruby and Yang were worried about their father and Uncle at Patch. Since they came from the ocean, Patch would be the very first place they would attack. The Ice Queen, however, was a hot mess. She only cared about a few people in her life and she had no idea how two of those people are doing. Weiss can only hope that Neptune and Winter were safe. Blake was still mulling over the fact that she almost died and someone else had to feel her pain.

Ruby got up from her chair, setting Crescent Rose and her torn cape next to her chest. She needed to do something else than worry. "I'm going to ask Jaune to see if we can go find team RNBW's tent." Yang nodded and followed her out, wanting to find her friends of team SPIA and SHDW.

The two sisters walked into team JNPR's tent after letting them know they were coming in. Jaune and Pyrrha were discussing with each other while Nora checked up on Ren to see if he was truly okay. Ren never liked worrying Nora about himself and sometimes avoided telling her about small injuries, which forced her to check him every day. The orange-haired Valkyrie didn't mind it, sometimes it would lead to something _other _than checkups.

"Jaune, let's go find team RNBW and see if they're okay." Ruby motioned for Jaune to join her.

Nora froze up while checking Ren's chest. He noticed it and tilted his head. "Nora?"

She didn't like being the bearer of bad news, so she pulled Ren in and whispered to him what she knew. Ren's eyes widened after Nora finished. The rest of their friends in the room were staring at them. Pyrrha and Yang watched Ren's expression darken.

"Oh, no…" Yang mumbled.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Ruby asked unknowingly. Nora cuddled into Ren's half-naked body, not wanting to see her friend's expression fall.

"I'm sorry, Ruby, Jaune…Nora saw team RNBW fall in the ambush." Ren regretfully replied.

Jaune covered his face with his hands, about to have an emotional breakdown. Pyrrha got out of her chair and pulled him to her side. Ruby giggled at Ren, which caught the attention of everyone.

"That's funny, Ren. Team RNBW is super strong! They wouldn't die that easily!" Ruby waved it off and looked over to Jaune. "Jaune, you know them! They would never be beaten be the likes of those guys, right?"

Yang pulled Ruby into her arms, entrapping her sister. "Ruby…"

"Yang, let go. I have to find them! I'm sure they are just bragging about how many of them they took down before leaving." Ruby was in complete denial. She knew team RNBW from before Beacon since they were her closest friends from Signal. The five of them would always hang out until she was moved two years ahead into Beacon. Ruby was glad that her four friends were placed in a team together when they joined, on their way to be Hunters and Huntresses.

Ruby began to struggle in Yang's grip, but she wouldn't let go. The little Rose began to wilt in her arms, hiding her face in Yang's orange scarf. "Why…why is this happening…?" Ruby muttered into the scarf. "Please…wake me up from this terrible nightmare…"

* * *

Ozpin and Goodwitch entered the large War Tent. It was in a frenzy as orders were being given through radios and Scrolls, people were signing legal documents, and high-ranking officers were entering and leaving the tent. Ozpin and Goodwitch walked through the chaos and began to search for Vale's five-star general.

They were then met with by a very young Colonel who saluted Ozpin. "At ease, young man. Where is your commanding officer?"

The Colonel had downcast eyes as he began to explain the situation. "I'm sorry, sir. General Edward realized the strength of the enemy and knew what he had to do. The General and his personal guard fought valiantly on the front lines to help the evacuation of the Vale Citizens, losing their lives in the process. You are to be the next General of the Vale Army, sir."

The news caught both Ozpin and Goodwitch off-guard. "I hardly think that is appropriate. I'm only a Hunter and the headmaster of Beacon Academy. I don't have the necessary skills to lead an army."

"It wasn't my doing, sir. The Council of Vale have entrusted you to lead us. They believe in your leadership skills and your strength, being a well-renowned Hunter." The chaotic war tent fell silent, all of the soldiers saluting their new Commander. "What are your orders, sir?"

Ozpin glanced over his shoulder to Goodwitch. She was just as confused as he was. Ozpin didn't know how long he was going to be commander, but he hopes it wasn't going to be for long. Remembering all the work his old friend, James Ironwood, had to do because he was a General and a headmaster, Ozpin sighed before clearing his throat.

"Continue what you are doing. Colonel…Mustang, tell me what is happening right now." Ozpin followed the Colonel to the back of the war tent where a large monitor showed a map of the city of Vale.

The Colonel started to interact with the computer, manipulating the map. "The enemy has taken the outer walls of the city. We lost 30% of our forces and we are blind. They are shooting down any reconnaissance drones and soldiers we are deploying. If we are to make a counter-offensive, it is going to be very difficult without knowing what is on the other side of those walls."

"Should we try calling James again?" Goodwitch asked. "He is the expert in military warfare."

Suddenly, everyone's Scrolls began to vibrate, receiving a video message from an unknown sender. Ozpin, Goodwitch, and everyone looked at each other before pressing play on the video that was sent.

A deep voice began to speak over the symbol of the Cizinec Sovereignty. There was a green circle with three diamonds that overlapped it. The three purple colored diamonds were stretched out passed the circle and evenly spaced between each other. One diamond pointed south while the other two pointed northeast and northwest. A rhombus of the same color rested in between two of the diamonds, pointing north.

"If you are watching this on your own accord, we presume you are a person with great strength and intelligence. We, of the Cizinec Sovereignty, are here for one purpose, to modify and improve the human body. Humanity is weak, unable to defend itself from the powerful creatures like Grimm. Our technology will enhance mankind." The screen began to show a group of people on their knees, bruised, battered, and surrounded by Cizinec soldiers in front of the city hall of Vacuo.

The Colonel managed to connect his scroll to the large monitor, showing the video for everyone in the war tent.

Ozpin looked at the faces of each and every single individual on the screen. _The leaders and council members of Vacuo…_He thought to himself. Ozpin recognized one of the faces to be the headmaster of the Hunter/Huntress academy in Vacuo.

"Our lost brothers and sisters, we ask you to surrender yourselves to us to benefit all of mankind. Your bodies will be changed, your strength will know no limit, and your dreams will be realized. Together we shall eradicate the soulless creatures of Grimm, achieve the possibility of immortality, and ascend to a higher form of humanity. Join us and we will unlock your true potential. Refuse…"

The Cizinec soldiers raised their weapons and executed the leaders and council members. Another video was then played, the same circumstances for the set of people on their knees. Except this time, they were the leaders of Mistral. Goodwitch looked away as the blood splattered on the stairs of city hall.

The War Tent was silent once the executions ended. After, four pictures began to repeat themselves on the screen of their Scrolls and the large monitor. They were high quality snapshots of team ANJN's faces during the battle on the Beacon Cliffs.

"The Demon, the Perfect Soldier, the Reaper, and the False King, these four individuals are traitors to our cause. They wish to keep our advancements in science a secret from the world. To let you roam Remnant and die. We, however, wish to share with you the discoveries we have made. There is no reason for you to deny our offer. If you bring them to us, dead or alive, we will grant you eternal wisdom, enlightenment, anything you desire. The Cizinec Sovereignty will be waiting for your answer."

* * *

**A/N: I hoped you like the reunion with Blake and her mother. My reasoning for the mother being dead is since Blake is inspired by Belle, the main character for Beauty and the Beast, I centered her background on it. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle's mother was already dead and the father's name was Maurice. They never said what the mother's name was in the movie, so that's why I kept referring to her as 'her mother.' Blake said she was basically born into the White Fang, which made me think that her parents may be White Fang Members, too.**

**As for the whole revival of Blake, Ren, the Dust, I will explain it! Later in the story though! And so you won't get too mad, I did add the 150x the pain thing along with some other consequences. The whole Dust thing is explained if you have watched Dust World of Remnant series or gone through the Dust RWBY wiki page. It is said that many other forms of dust can be created by combing other dust, artificially or naturally. Since the Cizinec is a far superior kingdom in terms of technology, they can achieve a lot more than the other four kingdoms when it comes to artificially creating stuff. Don't worry, everything is planned out! I have a whole outline and everything for what I want to happen in this story and how it will happen! Everything about their powers will be explained! The whole Gilgamesh raining down weapons, revival with dust, the Halo of Jibril, all of it!**

**And lastly, I'm so happy they are making RWBY season 3. It was announced by RoosterTeeth on their website, so check it out! Like I said, S3 onwards won't be canon in this story but S1 and S2 are. If Blake's mother is alive in S3, then it won't affect the story here. I hope you are as excited as I am for S3! Questions, comments, concerns, reviews, etc. is welcome~**


	9. Future Plans

Ruby and Yang stared at their scroll, the video ending with the Cizinec symbol slowly rotating on the screen. Just like everyone else who knew team ANJN, they were speechless. They couldn't believe what they just watched. After a minute of staring, Ruby's gaze darted to Yang's eyes. "Weiss and Blake!"

Ruby and Yang left the bewildered JNPR team and barged into their own tent. The heiress and the former White Fang member sat across from each other, scroll in hand. They weren't restless or distressed, they were mortified. Both of them were used to death because of their backgrounds and pasts, yet the video terrorized their minds.

The other two members of team RWBY needed more than just a hug or a batch of cookies. Weiss was now in an even worse emotional state along with Blake. If Mistral has fallen, then that meant Haven Academy was lost as well. If Sun and Neptune ran away, they wouldn't know. If they died brutal, horrible deaths, Weiss and Blake would never know. All they could do is hope, and they hated it. Weiss was at least relieved that Atlas wasn't shown in the video. If the strongest military power had fallen in one day, it would destroy what little morale Vale had left.

Blake didn't know what to feel, her emotions darting from anger to worry and back to anger. Her ears twitched under her black bow, hearing a loud commotion in the distance. "Guys, something is happening."

She walked out of the tent, being met by people running towards the direction of the disturbance. Her team followed her out, team JNPR already outside watching the people rush past. Jaune had an arm around his distraught girlfriend and Nora clung to a half-naked Ren.

"Are we being attacked?" Jaune asked, civilians, Hunters, and soldiers dashing past the two teams.

Ruby went back inside her team's tent and grabbed Crescent Rose. The Huntresses blood was boiling, the naïve and innocent mind being filled with thoughts of revenge. If the Cizinec did find the base they ran away to, then Ruby was sure to go down swinging. She walked back out, her lovely weapon sheathed behind her.

"Whatever it is, we need to stop it. All this negative emotion will attract numerous Grimm." Weiss added, pushing away the thoughts of Neptune from her mind. Ren grabbed his black, long sleeve shirt that he wore under his dark green tailcoat and the two teams grabbed their weapons. They followed the crowd, ready to fight whatever came at them.

They soon ran into a crowd that surrounded a rather large, beige tent. They could barely hear themselves think at how loud the mob was screaming and cursing. Yang and Nora pushed through the crowd, making a path for their teammates. After managing to get through the group of people, they saw why there was such a large crowd.

A group of soldiers had their guns pointed at Jibril and Noir, labeled the Perfect Soldier and Reaper by the Cizinec Sovereignty. Hunters and Huntresses also had their weapons drawn at them, including a foolish Cardin Winchester. The angry mob behind them was yelling all sorts of curses, along with racial slurs meant for the winged Faunus.

Yang ran in between their line of sight and intervened. "What in the hell is going on here!?"

Cardin twirled his mace and pointed it at Noir. "Didn't you watch the video? They are my ticket to safety. Obviously, some of the hunters and soldiers got the same idea."

Jibril and Noir weren't worried at all. In fact, they were surprisingly calm as they stood in front of the tent. The wind blew through Jibril's hair, not a care in the world, ignoring all of the racism they threw at her. She knew how powerful her team was, and a few soldiers and Hunters weren't going to make a dent.

Ruby followed her sister, standing in between the soldiers and the tent. "Listen to me, we can't hand them over! Jibril, Noir, Nova, and Archer helped us escape from the attack, so they can help us if they attack again. If we handed them over, who knows what would happen to them or the rest of us!"

Cardin, however, couldn't be reasoned with. "You don't get it, do you Rose? I overheard the conversation between Ozpin and that officer before the ambush. It took the enemy five minutes to kill every last soldier and Atlesian Knight that rescued us at the Amphitheater. We don't stand a chance against them. Besides, Archer isn't even his real name, its Gilgamesh the False King. For all we know, this could be a ruse and they could be telling them where our location is right now!"

Yang scowled at Cardin, ready to smash his face in with her bare hands. "Weren't you listening!? They said dead or alive. No matter how strong the four are, they can't take on the entire Vale army and live! He would never risk his life for just our location."

"That's what we thought when the White Fang tried to attack Beacon!" A Hunter yelled at them. "They almost killed Pyrrha, remember!"

The comment silenced Ruby and Yang. Both teams and all of Vale remember the White Fang incident all too well. To attack the Vytal Festival was a difficult plan to pull off, especially with amazing Hunters and Huntresses like Pyrrha and Yang around. It also didn't help that a part of Ironwood's army guarded the festival.

It was the reason why Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald were in Beacon in the first place, to learn the weaknesses of the prominent fighters. Cinder was the only one who could fight Pyrrha since her weapons weren't metal, they were glass. A part of their plan was ruined when Roman was captured and the train collided with the city earlier than expected, but Cinder was clever enough to work around that.

The first match in the tournament was between Cinder and Pyrrha when the White Fang's attack began. Cinder used the confusion to surprise her opponent, hoping to take her out quickly. Pyrrha tried to use her semblance, but it failed against Cinder's glass arrows. The arrow pierced right above her chest, in between her bronze gorget and top armor. If it wasn't for her teammates distracting Cinder and the quick response of the tournament doctors, she wouldn't have lived.

Pyrrha took a deep breath and walked over to her two friends. "They are different. If we wish to get past this onslaught, we need to work together. They are here to help us." She pleaded to the furious mob.

To her misfortune, none of them were listening. They were scared, too scared to listen to reason. Many of them have seen the enemy first hand with their own eyes. They all believe that Vale will lose, the four kingdoms will fall, and if the Cizinec don't kill them, the Grimm that roamed this world will. All they could do is grasp on something certain, which is handing the four members over to the Cizinec for safety.

Before the chaos continued, they were interrupted by a loud, booming yell. "Attention!"

The soldiers immediately faced towards the direction of the voice and saluted. Colonel Mustang walked past the soldiers with Ozpin and Goodwitch following behind him.

"Put down your weapons, if you saw what we saw on the battlefield when they fought, your efforts would be wasted along with your lives." Ozpin advised his students and other Hunters. They lowered their weapons, Cardin growling as he sheathed his large mace. When the four intervened during the invasion of Beacon, he quickly jumped into a transport and flew away, so he reluctantly took the headmaster's word.

The Colonel saluted Ozpin one last time before marching his soldiers away from the tent of team ANJN. The headmaster took this opportunity to sigh and scratch the back of his head. Ruby couldn't help but stare at what Ozpin was wearing.

Ozpin took his cane and held it from the center. "It's glad to see you three are alright. I'm truly sorry about your teammates, Blake and Ren. They were truly amazing students and would have been a better Hunter and Huntress."

"Oh, we didn't tell you! Blake and Ren are okay, look!" Ruby pointed to the rest of her friends. Blake and Ren were standing in the front of the crowd of Hunters, Huntresses, and civilians that wanted to hand team ANJN over. The two waved awkwardly at the headmaster and their professor.

"H-How is that possible?" Goodwitch asked, the rest of the two teams approaching them.

"Ask him." Yang pointed at Noir, who had his arms behind his back. As usual, his eyes and expression were devoid of emotion, the sunlight reflecting of his mobile suit.

Nora, however, didn't let Ozpin get a chance to ask as he dragged Ren next to him. She still refused to let go of Ren, though he didn't mind it. "I didn't know you were a general!" Nora exclaimed, admiring the five stars on his sleeve.

"You could say I was forced into it. They insisted that I be the Commander and they gave me this military jacket." Ozpin explained, slightly frustrated at the series of events.

"You gave us quite a scare, you two. Please try to be more careful from now on." Ozpin addressed Ren and Blake, who had holes in their clothing from their injuries.

"Don't worry, headmaster. I won't let him leave my sight ever again!" Nora beamed with a big smile, squeezing Ren's arm. She then took an arm and saluted the new appointed general. "You can count on me!"

Goodwitch stifled her small chuckle before leaving them to scold the students who were cursing in the crowd. The rest had the urge to salute Ozpin as well out of respect or to avoid an awkward silence, but the headmaster waved it off.

"Please don't, I wish to be general for as little time as possible. I may be young, but I don't want to be a general of an army and a headmaster of a school." Ozpin joked playfully, mocking his age for a brighter atmosphere.

"If Beacon Academy is still standing…" Jaune mumbled, bringing the atmosphere back down. Pyrrha elbowed him in the side, but quickly apologized to her boyfriend.

"Don't fret. Even if Beacon falls, we will still teach up and coming Hunters and Huntresses. We don't need a classroom to pass our knowledge to the people who are willing to learn." Ozpin stated, walking past the two teams. "Now, let's talk with your friends from team ANJN, shall we?"

Team RWBY and JNPR grinned at Ozpin, taking his little inspirational quote to heart. Jibril put a smile and waved at them as they walked through the entrance. Blake wanted to thank Noir for reviving her, for going through all the pain she did and more, but now wasn't the time. She peeked over her shoulder at him while they entered the tent.

The large tent was definitely not from the Vale military, the space inside being much larger that it appeared on the outside. The tent was a large open space that was divided into a kitchen, a living room space, a dining room, and a bedroom space. The living room had multiple comfortable couch chairs, a small table with a flower vase, and a fireplace _with _a chimney. The kitchen had a stove, dishwasher, sink, cabinets, and anything else found in an average kitchen. The tent was illuminated by a golden chandelier that hung from the ceiling of the tent.

Everyone was in awe at what their eyes were seeing, though they shouldn't be surprised at this point. From the existence of winged Faunus to reviving people from the grave, nothing should shock them anymore. It would be almost disappointing if they didn't have something like this.

Ruby had to walk out of the tent and walk back in just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She just couldn't believe it. There was a chimney for the fireplace but there wasn't a smoke stack for the smoke to leave the tent. It just didn't make sense.

Gilgamesh sat on what appeared to be a golden throne in the dining room space. The King wore his armor and was drinking wine from a golden goblet. His gaze, uninterested, fell upon the nine people that walked into his temporary residence.

Nova was found sitting across from the King. Although, it seemed that he couldn't keep his drinks down as well as Gilgamesh. They didn't know how much either of them had, but Nova looked like Ruby when Yang had forced her to have a glass of Verite La Joie during Weiss' birthday party last year. True, none of them were legal, but having as much influence as a Schnee did have its perks.

"Heya, guysssssz. How about a _**-hiccup- **_drink?" Nova slurred under the influence.

Yang almost walked forward, ready to have whatever drinks that were offered, before Blake grabbed the collar of her jacket from behind. She pulled her back in to stop her. The blonde turned to glare, but was met by Blake's own glare. It wasn't smart to break the law in front of the new general of the Vale army and the headmaster of their school. It also wasn't a good time to drink when they were about to have a serious conversation about their affairs.

"Clean yourself up, Demon. I won't have you embarrassing me in front of our guests." Gilgamesh waved off his drunk teammate.

Nova got up and bowed to Gilgamesh before walking to the bedroom section of the tent. It contained a large king-sized bed and two queen-sized beds. He stumbled into one of the queen-sized beds, his combat armor still on, and quickly passed out.

Ozpin walked up two steps which led to the dining room section. "May I?" Gilgamesh nodded and the headmaster sat where Nova was sitting. He set his cane aside and rested his chin on his hands.

"You have quite a past, your highness. Assuming you did watch the video sent by the Cizinec Sovereignty, do you mind explaining what your intentions are and why you are here?" Ozpin's tone was polite, yet stern.

Gilgamesh set down his goblet and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "The Cizinec Sovereignty is a realm built on technological advancement. We are people who strive to improve ourselves and humanity as a whole." The King began to explain.

Yang walked up the two steps, her aura flaring from her anger. "Improve humanity!?" She interjected, her blood boiling at what he just stated. "We just watched our friends die along with the executions of innocent people. You call that 'improving humanity'!?"

Ozpin raised an arm, stopping Yang's urge to plant her fist into the King's face. He was just as angry as Yang, but he had a better control of his emotions and didn't show it. Blake placed a hand on her partner's shoulder, hoping she would calm down and let him explain.

"What purpose does it have to declare war on all four kingdoms now? If technological advancement is indeed their goal, we could have offered our support and funding." Ozpin argued to the king.

The King smirked and stifled a laugh. "Support and funding, don't be naïve. The Cizinec Sovereignty doesn't need something as useless as your money. I am unaware on why my realm has declared war, but it doesn't concern me. I have plans to retake my rightful place on the throne and I will use your kingdom's strength to help me execute it."

Yang was really close to shrugging of Blake when Ozpin stood up from his chair, knocking it down, and startling his students. His usual, calm demeanor was replaced by outrage and fury that even Goodwitch hasn't seen before.

"You're realm have invaded my kingdom, my school, and killed the people I swore to protect, and you say it doesn't concern you? You are currently under the protection of Vale and you will not be using us! I have a duty as a Hunter and as the General of the Vale Army to do what is best for the people. If that means handing you over to them in exchange for the safety of the people, then so be it. I suggest you stop being arrogant and answer my questions." Ozpin snapped, his voice thundering around the tent.

The crimson eyes of the King stared into his brown ones. Gilgamesh finished his drink and threw the golden goblet in the air. Before it hit the ground, the goblet disappeared in a cloud of gold dust particles. He stood up, making Weiss, Blake, and Pyrrha motion their hands towards their weapons. Ozpin, though, didn't flinch. Gilgamesh was only 5'11" and was much shorter compared to the headmaster, who was 6'6". He walked in front of Ozpin, his arms crossed as he looked up at the man. A couple seconds of silence passed before Gilgamesh smirked.

"Very well, general, you have earned my respect. Not many try to confront me in such a way and live. Be warned, we are not under your protection, but you are under ours." Gilgamesh uncrossed his arms and extended a hand towards Ozpin. "Do you have any more questions, Ozpin?"

The headmaster shook his hand, letting the students behind him relax a bit. "I will not ask why you are not leading your people or what happened in the Cizinec Sovereignty. I will, however, ask if you are willing to help us. The Vale Army may not be strong, but for their army to take the city of Vale in a matter of hours is unthinkable." Ozpin requested, keeping his emotions under wraps.

"I will not settle for anything less than perfection. The Vale Army will need help from the Hunters and Huntresses-in-training of Beacon Academy to have a chance against their technological and number advantage. My team and I shall take control of their training." Gilgamesh replied, turning his attention to Ruby and her friends.

Ozpin tensed up at the mention of his students. Like what he told himself three years ago, he wished that his students would never have to fight in a war. He didn't want to lose any more of his students, friends, or anyone. He looked over to team RWBY and JNPR behind him. They were so young and yet they were about to face humanity's worst nightmare, war. The Great War eighty years ago almost destroyed the four kingdoms. It was part of the Hunter's duty to fight if they are called upon, but they were only in training. They weren't ready, but in hindsight, no one is ready for war.

"I understand. I shall speak with the council and make it official." Ozpin stated.

Jaune clutched Pyrrha's hands, Nora leaned in closer into Ren, and Yang kept her eyes on Ruby, their future set to be filled with war, death, and despair. Each of them needed to protect the ones they love at all cost. They were ready to fight Grimm, but not other humans, humans that will be relentless, humans that are trained to kill, humans that could be as strong as Noir, Nova, Jibril, and Gilgamesh.

* * *

**A/N: I apologize if it isn't up to my usual standards because of the same reasons and this was sort of difficult to write since I slightly strayed from my outline on this one. It'll still make sense in the end though. Questions, comments, concerns, etc. are welcome~ If you find any inconsistencies, PM me so I can clarify it or fix it!**

**Also, HOLY SHIT OZPIN WHAT DID YOU EAT!? WHY ARE YOU 6'6"!? I looked it up on the RWBY wiki and I was like 'No way this can't be true' but the official height chart showed it. Man I wish I was 6'6" XD**


	10. Yang's Bender

"Hey, where's Yang?" Ruby asked, laying on her sleeping bag. It wasn't comfy at all but it was definitely much better than sleeping on the ground. The two teams split off into their tents after leaving team ANJN's luxury tent. They spent the rest of their unforgettable day inside, their mind left alone with their thoughts.

None of them got in contact with their families either. Ruby and Yang asked around, but neither of them got any information about survivors from Patch. Even Ozpin was clueless on their whereabouts. The two sister's weren't too worried, knowing how strong their father and Uncle Qrow were, but they wished they knew that they were safe. Though, they were fortunate that their family was close by. Pyrrha and Weiss' family were in different kingdoms, Pyrrha's family being in Mistral when it surrendered to the Cizinec Sovereignty.

Yang didn't want to deal with her thoughts, so she left to find her friends from team SPIA and SHDW. Blake spent her time reading any book she could get her hands on, which were only boring military training books. All Weiss could do was try to cheer up Ruby who was still depressed from the loss of her friends from team RNBW, though Weiss was the one being comforted by their team leader half of the time.

Blake looked up from a military tactics book and shrugged. "She hasn't come back yet. Maybe she found them and is spending as much time as she can with them. I would…" Blake scolded herself silently for making herself depressed. That was the reason she delved into the book in the first place.

Ruby got up and peaked outside of the tent. The sun was setting, the only noise being heard was the idle chatter from the Hunters in their tents and gunfire from fending off wandering Grimm in their area. Since they were forced out of the safety of the walls, Grimm have been drawn to the base because of all the negative emotions in the air. Ruby sighed and looked at the darkening sky, thinking about her friends from RNBW. "At least you're in a better place now…"

* * *

Yang walked up to the large tent of team ANJN, the sky turning darker and darker. She slowly opened the flaps of the tent, peaking her head inside. "Hello…may I come in? It's Yang."

She was met with a groan coming from the other side of the tent. "Come on in." Jibril replied over the groan. Yang walked inside the luxurious tent. Jibril and Noir were sitting on couch chairs in front of the lit fireplace, reading a book. Nova was on his bed, a pillow over his head. The almighty King had an arm around Jibril, pondering as his eyes stared into the fire. All of them changed out of their armor and mobile suit and into some more casual clothing.

"I-I'm here for the drink Nova offered earlier." Yang whispered. Luckily, she was loud enough for everyone but Nova to hear.

Gilgamesh moved his gaze to Yang. "What makes you think you are worthy to drink my swill?"

The blonde Huntress almost scowled at him before deciding it wasn't worth it. Jibril leaned in close to Gilgamesh and kissed his neck before whispering in his ear. The King rolled his eyes and growled under his breath. Jibril smiled and point at the dining table. "Whatever you do, don't spill it."

Yang silently thanked Jibril before walking over to the table and sat down. Three golden ripples appeared on the table as two golden goblets and a pitcher of wine rose up. It gently rested on the table as the ripples dissipated. Yang may never get use to that if she would make frequent trips in the tent.

The Huntress poured the wine into the goblet and drank it in one go. Her eyes widened at the taste of the red wine. It wasn't terrible, in fact, it was amazing. The fruity taste of the wine didn't burn her throat, yet she could feel her body become more and more intoxicated. She could easily fall in love with this and become an alcoholic if she wanted to.

Yang continued to down goblet after goblet of wine, the pitcher showing that it wasn't going empty any time soon. She quickly drank her seventh goblet and poured her eighth drink. The blonde, however, stopped and stared into the wine. She could barely see her reflection from it. She could barely see at all because of all the alcohol she consumed. From what the blonde could see, though, was a face of misery that reflected off the wine.

She couldn't tell how long she sat there when Nova joined her and sat across the table from her. Yang looked up, her vision blurry. "Hey…you looked like a mess earlier." The Huntress mocked.

"Don't remind me…so what's with you?" Nova asked. He groaned again as the hangover got slightly worse.

Yang hesitated to answer, her hand shaking as she tried to lift up the goblet. "I'm…"

* * *

The broken moon replaced the sun as Blake finished a chapter of her military handbook. She looked around the tent to see who was still awake. Ruby was snuggled inside her sleeping bag, hugging Crescent Rose. Weiss was passed out next to her, sleeping soundly despite the emotions that plagued her so. Blake closed her book and turned off the dust-powered lantern on the table.

She noticed that Yang still wasn't back from her hunt to find her friends. Blake walked out of the tent, using her Faunus eyes to see clearly in the darkness. Only soldiers were roaming around, patrolling the area. Blake started to worry about her partner. Normally, Yang would let her, Weiss, Ruby, or Nora know if she was going to be late. Yang and Nora were surprisingly great friends, spending some of their Friday nights together in nightclubs partying, forcing their team to join them if it was team night.

Blake announced that she was coming inside in front of team JNPR's tent before entering. Jaune and Pyrrha laid on top of their sleeping bags, cuddling each other. They, too, refused to wear the strange looking military clothes and slept in their clothing. She saw Jaune and Pyrrha's armor off to the side. Since the night was cold, Jaune lent Pyrrha his hoodie so she wouldn't sleep half-naked.

Ren and Nora were around the table, a dim lantern lighting the room on it. Nora was fast asleep in Ren's arms and he kept a free arm to turn pages of a military book he found. The Hunter made a small smile to Blake before quietly tiptoeing over to him.

"Have you seen or heard from Yang? She was looking for team SPIA and SHDW." Blake whispered to not wake his teammates.

Ren shook his head as Nora snuggled closer to him, almost falling off her chair. The Hunter closed the book before lifting Nora up and placing her back down on top of her sleeping bag. He took off his long sleeve shirt and tried to put it on her so she would stay warm. Ren would put her inside the sleeping bag, but Nora would complain if they didn't sleep together. The sleeping bag could only fit one person, after all.

Blake inspected Ren's bare back as he took off his shirt. There were no scars, bruises, not a single trace of a bullet entering him. Ren smiled and stroked Nora's hair before walking over to Blake. "If she is looking for other Hunters, ask Ozpin where SPIA and SHDW might be."

The Cat Faunus agreed and left the tent. Ren turned off the lantern and began to snuggle Nora in his half-naked body. He really wished they had blankets, but the army can only have so much to spare.

* * *

Ozpin and Goodwitch were in their own tent, going over casualty reports. Stacks of paper filled every inch of flat surface inside except the ground. The headmaster had a list of his students that reported in the base. Grief filled his very soul as the names only filled two sides of one piece of paper.

The attendance list in Beacon Academy was at least twenty or thirty pages of names. Ozpin's eyes scrolled down the names that had survived the invasion. Most of them weren't even legal age to drink alcohol. He took a pen and slowly crossed out one of the names on the list.

Goodwitch watched Ozpin from her side of the tent. She watched from afar, her closest friend diving deeper and deeper into despair. She walked up beside him and set down a steaming hot cup of coffee. "Ozpin, take a break. This isn't good for you."

"Thank you, Glynda, but I can't. We have a job to do as Hunters and Huntresses. We need to reestablish communications with James and Atlas, plan a counter-offensive to retake Vale, set up a perimeter to keep Grimm out, raise morale so Grimm are less likely to be attracted to us, speak…" Goodwitch stopped Ozpin by spinning his chair to face her.

"You can't handle it yourself. We've been coworkers for a long time and I haven't seen you work this hard ever. We may be keepers of the peace, but we are still human." Goodwitch dictated, taking back the coffee she made. "Now, please, call it a night."

Ozpin sighed, setting the list aside. "Maybe you're right…"

"Hello? Headmaster, are you in there?" Blake's voice could be heard from outside the tent.

She walked inside after receiving the approval of entering. "I'm sorry to bother you late at night. I was wondering if you know where team SPIA or SHDW's tents are."

"Have you talked with your partner Yang?" Goodwitch asked as she began organizing some papers for tomorrow.

Blake shook her head. "She left to find her friends, but she hasn't come back yet."

Goodwitch snapped her gaze from the papers to Ozpin. He rested his chin on his hands, closing his eyes. "We have to find her before it's too late." Goodwitch immediately began searching for her riding crop.

"Calm down, Glynda. She has her little sister, Ruby, and the rest of her team. Yang wouldn't act so drastically." Ozpin added. Goodwitch stopped her frantic search, but she still felt worried.

Blake's amber eyes darted back and forth between the two adults. _Too late? Too late for what? What does Ruby and team RWBY have to do with anything? Yang…_ Blake started to feel distressed at how Ozpin and Goodwitch were acting.

Ozpin stood up from his chair and cleared his throat. "Yang came earlier today and asked the same question. The only member to report in from either team was Iris from team SPIA."

* * *

"I'm…I'm scared." Yang muttered to Nova. There was only one reason she could be scared before today. That was if Yang found her mother and she either was dead or didn't want anything to do with her. Today, however, introduced all sorts of new fears to her. Fears that she needed to drink down. Fears that needed to go away.

"Scared…to think I would admit that. Yang Xiao Long, the fearless Huntress, is scared." Nova stayed silent and waited for the blonde to continue. Yang managed to drink her eighth cup of the red wine without spilling it.

"Earlier today, I asked Ozpin where my friend's tents were. They were strong Hunters and Huntresses, so I thought they would all make it back. It turns out only Iris managed to live." Yang reached for the pitcher of wine before being stopped by Nova. The blonde gave a nasty glare at him and his dark violet eyes. She needed more, _much more_ to drown down her sorrows. The Demon bit his lower lip and, against his better judgment, poured her more wine.

Yang took a small sip as she resumed her story. "When I visited her tent, she was nowhere to be found. I got worried, so I began searching for her. One of the soldiers saw her heading for the river, and so I found her, sitting under the shade of a tree. I couldn't imagine how she felt after losing her team and her friends."

"Iris was always a quiet girl, but she knew how to party. The color of her eyes is the same as her name. Those eyes always knew how to attract people, both guys and girls." Yang felt the tears trail down her cheek. She didn't know if it was her doing or the alcohol, but she wanted it to stop.

"I called out to her, but she didn't reply. She didn't glance at me, wave, or do anything. She just sat there, her eyes focused on the flowing river." Yang rested her elbows on the table and her forehead on her hands.

Instantly, Blake barged into the tent, her eyes darting around. "Jibril, we need your help! We can't find…Yang?" Her frantic amber eyes found the blonde Huntress sitting across from Nova on the dining table. The King glared at the cat Faunus for rudely coming in, but she ignored it. She rushed over to Yang's side, her breath ragged from sprinting around the base.

"Yang…I heard what happened to Iris…I got worried since you haven't come back…our friends started a search party…and Ruby is freaking out…" She managed to say before running out of air. Blake took a deep breath and sat down next to her.

At this point, Yang couldn't tell who Blake was. She was so wasted that Yang almost mistook her for a Grimm. Luckily, Yang recognized the voice. Her state of sorrow left her mind, the alcohol finally getting to the blonde Huntress. "Hey, kitty, want some milk?" She asked, clearly not in her right mind.

Nova rubbed his temples, the sudden loud noises irritating his head. Yet, he still wished to know what happened to the girl named Iris. "What happened to Iris?" He asked the alarmed cat Faunus.

Yang wrapped an arm around Blake, the alcohol taking an effect. The blonde's cheeks flushed as a smile dawned her face. "I almost thought you were a Grimm, ya know. That would have been a _cat-_astrophe."

The cat Faunus didn't like the jokes, but she was just relieved that her partner was safe and sound. She didn't even care that team ANJN was listening in. She, miraculously, still had her bow on throughout the series of events.

Blake put her hand around Yang's waist so she wouldn't fall off the chair. "I don't know the specifics, but Ozpin said Iris committed suicide right in front of Yang. When I told Ruby, she started to panic and run around the base looking for her."

Blake took out her scroll so she could call Ruby. Yang's happy demeanor left her at the mention of Iris. Instead of sorrow, though, rage filled her eyes. The Huntress' Aura flared subconsciously as her lilac eyes turned red. Her grip tightened around Blake, causing her to wince in pain, dropping her scroll. It got the attention of the rest of team ANJN at this point as well.

"I was right there and I couldn't do anything. She ate the gun right in front of me and I didn't stop it." Yang let go of Blake, resting her arms on the table. She clenched her fists and grinded her teeth as the memory of Iris played over and over in her mind. Gilgamesh waved his hand, causing the pitcher and goblets to dissipate into gold dust.

"What good is being the best fighter in Beacon if I can't even protect my friends!?" Yang lifted her fists and smashed them down on the table, causing it to collapse under her strength.

Gilgamesh was livid now. This girl came into his home, drank his wine, and starts breaking his things. If Yang felt guilty or bitter from Iris and her friends' death, Gilgamesh had half a mind to let the Huntress join them. He rose from his seat, a glowering expression on his face.

"Who gave you the right to destroy my belongings, insignificant cur!?" His crimson eyes fell upon the startled Blake, who was on her scroll calling Ruby. "Get her out of my sight."

Blake slowly nodded as Ruby picked up on the other side. "Ruby? Yeah, I found her…she's fine, just smashed…okay, let Weiss tell Jaune and the others…ANJN tent, I may need help carrying her back…Right, see you."

The King crossed his arms and glared at the two Huntresses. Blake lifted one of Yang's arms and put it over her shoulder. The blonde Huntress was now calm, her Aura dying down. Noir walked up to the table and extended his left arm out. It began to glow and the next instant, it was good as new.

Blake would comment or think about it, but she was much too tired for her mind to register what just happened and too focused on Yang. Ruby rushed through the entrance, rose petals flying in as well. Her eyes darted around the room and found Blake helping the intoxicated Yang down the two steps that separated the tent.

Ruby rushed to her side and gave Yang a large hug. "I'm so happy you're all right. I knew you wouldn't hurt yourself, but I thought you would go to Vale and fight them yourself." The silver eyed sister took Yang's other arm and put it over her shoulder.

The three teammates walked over to the entrance and turned around. "Thank you for taking care of her. I'm really sorry about her behavior." Ruby apologized to the four members of team ANJN. Gilgamesh growled lowly and waved them off.

"Just leave before I take back my kindness." Ruby and Blake didn't stay any further and left. The shattered moon light shone on the three teammates, walking towards their tent. A few minutes passed before Yang spoke up.

"Hey, Rubes…" She whispered, her voice bare audible in the silent night.

"Yeah, sis?"

"Don't leave me, okay…?"

Ruby tilted her head as their tent came into view. Weiss and team JNPR were waiting in front, talking amongst themselves. "I don't understand, but don't worry! I won't ever go anywhere!"

"You're stuck with us forever, Yang." Blake grinned, waving to Weiss and the rest.

"Team RWBY forever!" Ruby cheered, fist pumping the air.

* * *

**A/N: I promise it will get happier...maybe. Who knows? Oh, wait, I do ;). Questions, comment, reviews, concerns, etc. are welcome~**


	11. Yume

"Watch out!" Nora screamed to Jaune as a purple mobile suit soldier ran up to him, an electrified dagger in one hand, and a Cizinec pistol in the other.

Jaune raised his shield to block the dagger and twirled his sword to block the incoming shots from the pistol. The blonde Hunter kicked the soldier in the gut, knocking him back and giving him space to get into a fighting stance. His shield was raised and his sword was pointed at the enemy.

His blue eyes stared into the green visor of his full-face helmet. The visor took shape of the Cizinec symbol, the two green diamonds over where his eyes would be and the third going down the center of the helmet. Time slowed for Jaune, waiting and anticipating the soldier's next move. He was confident in his skills, noticing that the soldiers weren't as good in close combat compared to Pyrrha, who trained with him for the past three years.

Both were motionless, staring at each other in the midst of chaos. Jaune's eyes peered over his white heater shield when the soldier lunged forward, aiming his pistol at his head. The blonde Hunter readied his shield when the soldier collapsed in front of him, smoke coming out of the side of his helmet along with blood.

"Thanks, Pyrrha!" Jaune waved at his girlfriend who was a few feet back, Miló in its rifle form. She waved back happily before turning and pulling the trigger at more of the Cizinec soldiers.

Nora grinned as she ran forward into a bunch of soldiers, their attention focused on Ren who was surrounded by more soldiers than he can handle. The Huntress swung Myrtenaster as hard as she could at them. Their bodies went limp against the powerful force of the Valkyrie's hammer. They flew into the forest, breaking a few tress in the process before their mangled bodies rested on the grass.

"Ren, are you okay!?" She yelled, jumping backwards to get her bearings.

The orange-haired Valkyrie couldn't believe what was happening. Only a few hours after finding Yang, the Cizinec Sovereignty surrounded the entire base. Team JNPR and RWBY were woken up by the sound of explosions and the smell of burning tents.

Gilgamesh said that they were technologically more advanced, but to avoid motion sensors and thermal heat sensors is insane. The Cizinec Sovereignty was right on top of them before they began slaughtering anyone who wasn't wearing purple or teal.

Her turquoise eyes turned to Ren as he shot down the last soldier around him. "I'm okay. Where's team RWBY? They may need our assistance."

"I'll try to call them." Jaune took out his scroll and began dialing Ruby's number. He raised it to his ear before twitching and dropping it.

"Jaune…?" Pyrrha walked up to him before he fell on his knees and collapsed on the ground. "Jaune!"

Nora and Ren twirled their weapons towards the direction of a branch being snapped. They didn't see anything, but the two Hunters could clearly see a footprint on the dirt. Light began to blur around it, purple energy flowing around the footprint. The purple energy moved up at a rapid pace, a purple silhouette replacing the blurring light. The energy stopped at the top of the helmet, revealing a soldier carrying a futuristic rifle and pointing it at the three standing teammates. Six other Cizinec soldiers revealed themselves in the same fashion.

None of them could believe it. The Cizinec Soldiers were only a few feet away in open ground, yet they didn't see them at all. An eighth soldier materialized, holding a bloody dagger.

Jaune's pulse weakened, unable to move from the pain he felt. The dagger stabbed him right in his spine, the electrified blade frying his nerves. Jaune couldn't feel his lower half of his body, his blue eyes looking up at the worried, frantic, and teary-eyed Pyrrha. Her mouth moved, but he didn't hear anything. The blonde Hunter started to lose feeling from his arms and body. Jaune cursed himself for making Pyrrha cry. He closed his eyes, letting his red-haired girlfriend be the last thing he sees in the world of Remnant.

Pyrrha's eyes fell upon the bloodied blade, clutching Jaune in her arms. A roar left her mouth before charging at the eight men before her. Her mind was clouded with rage and fury as the soldiers began shooting at her. The red-haired Huntress wasn't thinking at all, barely bothering to block their fire, some of them grazing her arms and legs. All she could do was run towards them with one purpose, revenge. All the pain she felt in that time span was nowhere close to when Jaune died right in her arms.

"Pyrrha, wait!" Nora changed her hammer into the grenade launcher, lining up her iron sights at the soldiers around Pyrrha.

Before pulling the trigger, she heard a small yelp from Ren. The Huntress turned her head, a ninth soldier appearing behind Ren, his knife dripping blood. Ren clutched his throat from shock, blood pouring out through his hands.

"Ren!" Nora felt an object hit her from behind, causing her to fall forward in front of her dying partner.

A metal boot stomped on her spine, placing it where her center of gravity was. Nora ignored the pain, her terrified eyes staring at her cherished boyfriend. "Ren, Ren!" Time slowed all around her, the soldier's knife inching its way up over Ren's head before swinging downward.

"Don't you fucking dare touch him! Ren, move! Ren!" The knife came closer and closer to him, his magenta eyes gazing down at her. "Ren!"

His lips moved, forming the words 'I love you,' until the blade entered his skull. Ren's arms dangled to his side, his life ending before Nora's eyes. The orange-haired Valkyrie curled her hands into a fist, thrashing under the boot of a soldier. She tried to grab her weapon, but it was out of reach.

"Stay down, girl." A metal boot punted her right on the cheek, snapping her head to the side. Her large pool of Aura finally being exhausted, she could feel the blood in her mouth from the kick. Nora felt nauseous as she was hoisted up from the ground, her body limp in their arms.

"Someone kill her already." A deep, static voice ordered.

Nora looked up, wondering if it was her time, when she saw Pyrrha still fighting. They all wore the same armor, so she couldn't tell if Pyrrha killed the original eight, but there were more than eight bodies around her.

Pyrrha had a dagger in her thigh, back, and shoulder. Her left arm was limp at her side and her right carried a broken Miló in its sword form. Nora felt powerless, unable to help anyone on her team. The red-haired Huntress let out one last battle cry before ten soldiers lunged at her from all sides. Their daggers pierced her worn armor, making her drop her weapon. Nora's eyes widened, watching the soldiers take a step back from her teammate before peppering the already dead Pyrrha with bullets.

Nora struggled in the two soldiers grasp, but her tired muscles were too weak. A soldier approached her and raised a pistol at her. She stared into the green visor that pierced through her will to fight. He slowly pulled the trigger, the loud noise echoing through Nora's mind.

She quickly jolted up, sweat falling down her face. The Huntress quickly inspected her surroundings. "Nora?"

Jaune sat on a chair near the table, the sun shining through the small gap of the tent. It was rather quiet, only the sound of Jaune's game on his scroll lowly playing on repeat. "You okay?"

Nora immediately grinned and nodded. "I'm okay, just another crazy dream!" She got up from her sleeping bag, noticing that she was wearing Ren's long sleeve shirt. Her arms wrapped around herself, the dream playing through her mind.

"Just a dream…no, it was a nightmare." Nora muttered to herself, trying to keep her optimistic mask up. She bit her lip, trying to push it out of her mind before facing the suspicious Jaune. The Huntress walked to the table and sat across from her team leader. "Where are Pyrrha and Ren?"

"They're trying to find us breakfast. We don't really know where they're handing out the rations so Pyrrha and Ren volunteered to find them." Jaune explained, pausing his game. "What was your dream about?"

Nora tensed up a bit before putting a finger on her chin. "Well, do you remember when I told you guys about the sapling that can talk? This time, the same sapling grew up to be a tree and he made friends with a talking raccoon!" She made a large smile, hiding what really happened. Nora didn't want to worry him or anyone. It was only a nightmare, after all.

"So the adventure starts off with…"

* * *

Yang groaned, sitting up from her sleeping bag. She could already tell that this day was going to be terrible. Though, no day can be worse than yesterday. The Huntress felt a sharp pain as she held her head, clearly from all the drinking last night. She couldn't remember anything that happened after her fifth drink, though.

"Looks like you're finally awake." Yang looked up to find Weiss, her hair hanging down, the heiress brushing it. "We need to talk about yesterday."

Yang rolled her eyes, not wanting to talk about anything at the moment. She had a splitting headache and she really needed a glass of water. The blonde Huntress got up and walked to her wooden chest where she kept her gauntlets. There had to be water somewhere here.

"I'm serious, Yang. You can't run off like that and not tell us where you were. We discussed this already when Blake ran off." Weiss scolded, putting her long, white hair back in a ponytail. "I'm sorry about your friends, but you can't drink your sadness down like an alcoholic."

The blonde Huntress slammed down the chest closed and scowled at her. "I know, okay! I don't need you telling me what I can and can't do! Gah, where in the hell is the water!?" She snapped, still emotional from yesterday.

Weiss furrowed her eyebrows and glared at her. "You aren't the only one that lost people yesterday! Do you see Ruby or Blake running off who knows where? What if you got drunk and got a brilliant idea to go and fight the enemy by yourself!?"

She wanted to argue back, but the blonde couldn't blame her. If she had something stronger than wine, she probably would have run off and not come back. So much happened yesterday that she wanted to forget. Hell, she hated drugs like cocaine and heroin, but if that would help her not remember the pain, both physical and emotional, then she would gladly use it.

Yang looked away as she sat down across from the heiress. "I'm sorry…"

Weiss sighed, feeling guilty. "Me too, I shouldn't have exploded at you. I don't have that many friends in Beacon. You guys are the only people I care about this much and I don't want to lose any of you. Just let us know if you are going to drink with Nova, okay?"

Yang smirked at her. "How sweet, has the Ice Queen's heart started to melt? Where's Rubes and Blake?" She asked, still parched.

"Thanks for ruining the moment, you brute." Weiss rolled her eyes, but smiled at how they could still act normal under all the tension and stress they've gone through.

"Ren and Pyrrha are looking for food and water. They should let us know where to get some soon. Blake and Ruby are searching for a place where we can shower. I refuse to clean myself in a river like an animal."

The sunlight got brighter as the flaps of the tent was opened by Blake. Ruby strolled in, carrying lunch boxes and water bottles. "I've got breakfast!"

She set down the boxes on the table and sat to her sister's right. Yang quickly grabbed her water bottle and chugged it down. "Ah, that hits the spot." Ruby stood over Yang, ready to lecture her for her actions. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the blonde, giving her a nice long embrace.

Yang was ready to be scolded, but grinned at Ruby's gesture. "I'm sorry, Rubes. I'm really sorry." She professed to her, returning the hug. The blonde also apologized to her partner, Blake giving her a nod and a smile in return.

"I won't scold since Weiss seemed to already have that covered. I understand what you're feeling…" Ruby's voice trailed off, remembering what she felt with her friends. "Like I said last night, team RWBY forever. Come to us with your problems, please?"

She didn't remember that, but Yang took her word for it. The older sister nodded, feeling guilty for putting her sister through that. "I will." She gave Ruby a peck to her forehead, earning a pouty face from her, before turning to the lunch boxes. "Pyrrha and Ren really pulled through." Yang smiled, finishing the rest of her water.

"I'm not so sure…" Blake pointed at the box, looking at the 'food' inside.

It was bread that definitely looked stale, a very small cup of butter for it, and a fun-size pack of cookies. Weiss stared at their 'breakfast,' revolted. "You have got to be kidding me? They expect us to eat this?"

Ruby opened the pack of cookies and began eating them. Her chewing slowed as her face scrunched up in disgust. She took a napkin and spit the cookies into them. "Ew, ew, ew, ew! These cookies are terrible!"

Yang didn't want to even try the bread, but her dinner last night was wine, wine, and more wine. She spread what little butter they gave on the bread and took a bite. The blonde Huntress made the same reaction as Ruby, spitting out her bread. "You know, I think I can believe that this isn't butter."

"Yang, please, it's too early." Ruby muttered, her shoulders slumped down in disappointment. They haven't ate anything since breakfast of the day of the invasion. How were they supposed to fight a war with an empty stomach?

Blake, however, was eating the bread and cookies as if they were nothing. The three members stared at her, astonished that she could eat that. It barely qualified as food. Blake addressed their stares, swallowing her bread.

"It's not as bad as you think. It's similar to the MRE they handed out in the White Fang. When Adam and I were sent out on long missions outside the walls, they gave us these. To be honest, these are much better than the MREs." Blake explained, finishing her food.

"I guess working for a terrorist organization has its perks." Weiss stated, closing her box. She deserves better than stale bread and terrible cookies. She was a Schnee, the heir to the Schnee Dust Company. Weiss was used to the cafeteria's bad food, but this was worse. Much, much worse. Blake shrugged, not arguing with that. She did learn some very useful skills in the White Fang.

Their scrolls vibrated once again. They all gave a quick glance at each other, hoping that it wasn't another video from _them_. They didn't think any of them could bear another execution video. Yang opened her scroll and began reading the message. "Oh, it's from Ozpin. He wants all able-moving Hunters to meet him at the center of the base."

Weiss sighed in relief. Atlas was the last kingdom other than Vale that is currently fighting back against the Cizinec. Since they couldn't reach Atlas because of the signal jamming, no one knew what was happening there. If they got a message from the Cizinec saying that Atlas fell, she wouldn't know what to do. She would most likely have a lot more drinks than Yang did, but she would never admit that.

Team RWBY set their lunch boxes aside and equipped their weapons. Team JNPR was waiting for them outside, their weapons on their sides as well. By the looks of their faces, they didn't want any part of that breakfast either.

* * *

Ozpin stood on top of a box, overlooking the small clearing made for Hunters and Huntresses. It definitely wasn't like the raised stage in the Amphitheater, but it had to do. He wiped the sweat off his forehead as the Hunters began to fill in.

Goodwitch, Port, and Oobleck stood by his side, waiting for the Hunters to come. The headmaster was devastated when he found out that they were the only professors, or frankly adults, that survived the attack onto Beacon. He can only assume that professor Peach and the rest sacrificed their lives protecting their students from harm.

Ozpin talked to his remaining co-workers about what happened at the tent and none of them were happy about it. However, they didn't argue. This was part of the dangers of being a Hunter and Huntress. The general cleared his throat and looked at the faces of each Hunter and Huntress that could make it.

"Before I begin, I wish for you to join me in a few moments of silence for everyone who died yesterday and today." They lowered their heads and closed their eyes. Silence filled the air, letting only the sounds of nature reach their ears.

"Thank you. Yesterday, the four kingdoms experienced something that hasn't been seen since the Great War. An unknown enemy, clad in purple and teal armor, came to our shores and invaded Vale. Here we are, driven from our homes. On one side, the enemy, the other, forests filled with Grimm."

"Many of you are my students, students from Beacon Academy. You all aspire to be Hunters and Huntresses, to uphold the peace, and to protect the people around you." Ozpin took a deep breath before continuing.

"The remaining members of the Council of Vale have approved the use of Hunters in the war efforts to take back the city. All licensed Hunters and Huntresses are obligated to prepare for war. The rest of you, the students in training, have a choice, to fight Grimm or join the effort. I will not ask you to keep true to the vows of the Hunters. I will not force you to face the enemy with your weapons in hand. From this moment on, you are no longer my students. You are my fellow Hunters, comrades, and friends. We have a long journey ahead of us, pray we live through it."

Ozpin stepped down from the box, letting Goodwitch speak to the crowd. "If you wish to fight, there will be a military briefing in one hour. Your weapons will not be needed. For those who wish to not partake in the war, we ask you to help us repel the increasing Grimm threat. This is voluntary, but encouraged. Best of luck to all of you."

The crowd of Hunters began to talk amongst themselves and disperse. They didn't know what to do. One thing was for sure, though. This isn't a training mission anymore, it was real. There won't be referees to stop the match, professors who overlooked your training, and there wasn't any more do overs.

"So…what do we do now?" Jaune asked, his confident composure starting to fall apart.

He would always hear stories about his great-great-grandfather and how strong and cunning he was. Sometimes his father would go overboard on the details, describing the horrors Jaune's ancestor faced and the brutality of the scenes too vividly for a young boy. The team leader didn't know if he could handle all that. He was deathly frightened, not just for himself but also for Pyrrha. Knowing his lovely girlfriend, she would easily fight in the war without hesitation. Risk her life for those around her.

They all gave each other glances before Ruby took her hands and slapped herself on both cheeks. "Ruby!?" Yang stared at her little sister while her cheeks reddened from the sudden slaps.

"Sorry, strengthening my resolve here. I know what I want to do. I'm going to attend the briefing and fight. If that's what it takes to fulfill my dream, then so be it. People like them need to be stopped." Ruby announced to her friends. She kept her other motivations hidden, though, knowing those motivations would raise questions around her.

Yang wasn't too happy about hearing it. She truly wished that Ruby didn't say that. She wanted her to be safe at all times, away from all sorts of danger. If it were between Grimm and soldiers, Yang would throw Ruby into Grimm in a heartbeat. They had no idea how strong the Cizinec were. If they were as strong as team ANJN, Yang might as well take Ruby and run away into the wilderness.

"You always have to take the spotlight, Ruby." Weiss smirked, her arms crossed. "I guess I speak for everyone when I say that we're attending the briefing, too."

The rest of the group smiled and nodded, going with the flow of the moment. Ruby smiled and turned to Yang, who stared at her with a worried look. "Don't worry, sis! I won't die that easily! Besides, I got you to protect me."

"Don't leave us out! We got your back, Ruby!" Nora gleefully cheered, wrapping her arm around the taller Huntress. "No one can stop us! Well, maybe except ANJN…or a meteor." The group broke out into a laugh, the tension of war leaving their minds.

* * *

**A/N: APRIL FOOLS HAHA THIS CHAPTER IS A JOKE...not really I'm kidding. I wish I made an April fools chapter but no time. Then again, the Nora dream could be considered an April fools thing. MRE stands for Meal, Ready-to-Eat. It's the army rations and I've been told they are pretty bad in taste. I'm not in the army so don't quote me on that, but with everything I've heard, maybe you should quote me on that XD. Hope you enjoyed!**


	12. Military Briefing

"I wonder what we are going to talk about." Ruby whispered to Weiss. Team RWBY and JNPR sat in the front row along with important military officers and strategists. They all wore medals on their uniforms, showing their experience, talent, and achievements. Blake heard about most of them because their medals were earned during the Faunus Rights Revolution and she hated every single one of them. They didn't deserve those medals for fighting for discrimination.

The military set up a rather large tent, able to fit at least 100 or more people, for the briefing. Unfortunately, team RWBY, JNPR, and a few random students were the only Hunters from Beacon that attended. Many of them were undecided on whether or not to join the war. Some were too scared to fight as well. Team RWBY or JNPR didn't blamed them, though. They joined Beacon to primarily fight Grimm, not partake in a war where they have a high chance of losing.

Weiss shushed her, the lights dimming around them. Ozpin walked forward into the spotlight and introduced himself. He held a microphone in his hands and there was a turned off projector behind him.

"I am the headmaster of Beacon Academy, a school for Hunters and Huntresses. I am also your temporary Commander until this war is over." He drank his usual cup of coffee before continuing.

"I do not know the strength of the enemy, their technology, nor their numbers. This is an enemy that is far worse than any of the four kingdoms have faced in their history. Time is of the essence, so I will hand over the microphone to someone who does know what we are up against." Ozpin held out the microphone to his left.

Everyone seemed confused, since there was no one there. All of a sudden, a familiar obsidian black mobile suit appeared before them. His facemask opened, revealing Noir who was inside. Nora's muscles tensed up, remembering her nightmare and how the Cizinec soldier did the exact same thing. She moved her hand over Ren's and held it. Whispers filled the air as Noir took the microphone from Ozpin and walked into the spotlight.

"For the rest of your time in this briefing, I will explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Cizinec Sovereignty. Refer to me as Reaper from this point onwards." Noir motioned for the spotlight to be turned off and for the projector to be turned on.

"This presentation can be found in your scrolls after the briefing for reference." The first image that appeared was a purple mobile suit, similar to Noir's suit he was wearing at the moment. Its helmet was the exact same one from Nora's dream, having the green visor shaped like their symbol. The Cizinec symbol was on the suit's chest.

"Within the Cizinec Military, there are multiple uniforms that are being used. The first is called the 'Infiltrator Suit', which is standard military uniform for the elites of the Cizinec Sovereignty. The elites are highly skilled in the art of war, very intelligent, and ultimately superior to an average soldier. In comparison, they are experienced, combat ready Hunters and Huntresses of the four kingdoms who can single handedly take down a hundred-year-old Goliath Grimm."

The picture changed into a more detailed image of the mobile suit, showing a microscopic image of what it's made of along with its functions.

"Their suits are made up of Nanofiber technology, unknown to the four kingdoms. How it is made is unimportant, so I will not explain. These mobile suits have cloaking technology, which enables it to bend light around the soldier and make him appear as if he is not there. This was shown by me when I appeared next to Commander Ozpin."

Nora's grip on Ren's hand tightened after hearing what Noir said. She thought that the soldiers in the nightmare were fake, non-realistic. Normally, she would love the fact that turning invisible was a thing, but after that dream, she wished that it may never happened. Ren looked over to the fearful Nora with a worried expression.

Before the Reaper can continue, Nora stood up and interrupted him. "Is there a way to detect them?" She inquired with a serious tone around her. It was one of the few times that she was ever serious about anything and it caught everyone who knew her off guard, even Ren.

"Its weakness is that it only conceals the appearance of the user. Anyone can hear, smell, or touch the wearer even if he or she is invisible. The mobile suits, however, have sound dampening footpads built in to conceal the sounds of their footsteps." Noir answered, the image changing to an underside view of the suit's boots. Nora sat back down, her face meeting Ren's worried expression.

"I'm okay, I can be serious too, you know." She explained, softening her grip and giving him an assuring smile. Nora didn't want her nightmare to come true. She didn't want to be the last one alive in her team.

"There are other ways to detect them, though the four kingdoms are far behind in technological advancement. After reviewing your equipment, there are only two ways you can efficiently find cloaked soldiers. The first is using your thermal heat sensors, which could find the plasma ammunition on the person. Next are motion sensors, though this can be avoided by moving at a very slow pace, adjusting body temperature, and making little to no noise, which was proven by the invasion of Vale. Once you are able to locate the soldier, he will be just another person with composite armor."

* * *

"That took _forever_. I just want to lay down and fall asleep." Yang complained, her hands behind her head.

"Quiet you. If it wasn't for Reaper's information, we wouldn't last in a real battle. Not even the almighty Yang can fight something she can't see." Weiss pointed at her, holding a small notebook filled with all the information she wrote down in the meeting. She ran out of ink three times before the briefing ended.

Ruby was skipping next to her teammates, going over what she can remember in her head. "I want to try out that plasma ammunition." She announced. Weiss opened her notebook, flipping to the marked pages where it explained the plasma ammunition.

"Plasma ammunition, because of its unique properties, the ammunition will land on its mark 99.99% of the time. The weapons that use such ammunition have miniscule recoil patterns and hip fire bloom because of said properties. The forgotten fourth state of matter can reach up to 100 million Kelvin or 179,999,540.33 degrees Fahrenheit, though the bullets can only reach up to 5,824 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent damage to the gun or container. Its high temperatures can make work of any metal with low melting points. The trade-off for its extremely high accuracy is that its stopping power is severely reduced at longer ranges, which is why snipers switch back to the normal Dust ammunition." Weiss explained, reading off her notes.

"Aww, boo." Ruby whined. She does use her Sniper-Scythe at long ranges and which meant no plasma ammo for her.

"I just wished we could eat something other than stale bread and cookies…" Ruby sighed, remembering the disappointing taste of her favorite snack. Weiss, Ruby, and Yang's stomachs growled out of hunger from not consuming the rations they were given.

"Hey, Blake, can you use your cat instincts and find us some fish in the river? Like, seriously, I am not eating what they have given us." Yang's lilac eyes looked over to the cat Faunus, who just glared her down.

"First, that's not how it works. Second, someone could have heard you, you know. I would like to keep my secret hidden for a while longer. Third, why don't we just go to Reaper's tent?" Blake suggested to her hungry, hungry teammates.

A lightbulb brightened in Ruby's head. "That's a great idea! They do have a kitchen and a refrigerator. Team ANJN may actually have some real food!" Ruby exclaimed, ready to run to their tent immediately.

"So, what, we are going to their tent and beg them for food?" Weiss complained, acting as if she was just insulted. A Schnee begging for food is like Ruby refusing to eat snacks. It was never heard of in the history of Remnant.

"You have a better idea, heiress?" Yang asked, ready to follow Ruby. However, she was quite hesitant since she drank a lot of their wine, along with supposedly breaking their table. Weiss groaned, unable to believe she was about to ask for food like a beggar.

"We should get Jaune's team as well. They haven't eaten either." Ruby suggested, taking out her scroll to dial their number.

Once she let them know about their plans to get real food, Nora appeared before them in no time. She was _starving_, her optimistic energy being depleted every minute. Ren was behind her, gasping for air. He was dragged by Nora and he could barely keep up. They waited for Jaune and Pyrrha before making their way to team ANJN's tent. This time, there was no one guarding the entrance and there was smoke rising up from the top of the tent. A few soldiers were still lurking nearby, weighing their chances of taking on the four mysterious teammates and securing safety.

None of them cared for it, though. Their attention was completely focused on the delicious, almost alluring scent that surrounded the tent. The mouth-watering aroma even made the reluctant, prideful Weiss consider asking for food. Ruby couldn't wait any longer, neither could her stomach, and went inside.

"It's RWBY and JNPR, we're coming in!" Ruby exclaimed, passing through the flaps of the tents. Weiss and the rest followed behind her.

"Ruby, you're supposed to ask first!" Weiss complained to their leader. Ruby, however, immediately ran out of the tent as fast as she could. "Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!" Ruby muttered repeatedly.

The white-haired Huntress tilted her head, confused. She then noticed the King, Gilgamesh, and his partner, Jibril, laying down on the couch. "Ruby, they're just…" Her face flushed red, noticing that they were naked and definitely not just _laying_ down. Weiss followed their team leader out of the tent, shouting, "Damn it, Ruby! This is why I said to ask!"

Pyrrha covered her boyfriend's eyes while Ren did the same for his girlfriend. Everyone took one gigantic step backwards out of the tent. "Well…that happened." Blake stated.

Yang looked down, her hands on her chest. "I can't believe it…she's bigger than me!" Yang blurted out loud. She was always irritated at the attention her chest brought upon her, but the blonde was proud of it sometimes. Finding someone who was bigger than she was almost dented her pride.

Heads turned, not just from her teammates and friends, but also from everyone in the area that heard her. Yang didn't even care, but Blake blushed, embarrassed for herself and her partner. Jibril poked her head out of the tent, her gold and purple eyes staring at the embarrassed, confused, and startled teams. "You can come in now. We are decent."

The teams came back in, all of them avoiding eye contact with the winged Faunus and her boyfriend. Weiss and Ruby came back shortly after, Ruby rubbing the back of her head from Weiss' light hit. Gilgamesh was eyeballing them from the couch, clearly irritated that he didn't _finish_. He wore a beige colored tunic, his hair was down, and he had his signature rectangular shaped, golden earrings.

Noir approached them, wearing a white shirt, jeans, and a green apron. "Do you have questions about my information?" He inquired, ready to explain anything that they didn't understand.

Ruby looked up to the Reaper, taking in the smell of food one last time. "I…um…we were hoping that we could have dinner together. I can make a mean batch of cookies!" She boasted convincingly. They were all really hungry, skipping breakfast and lunch because of the terrible food and the briefing.

Noir looked over his shoulder to the cuddling couple sitting in front of the fireplace. The King was definitely going to reject them. Yet, like always, Jibril helped out RWBY and JNPR. She kissed him on the lips, pushing him back down on the couch. Yang covered Ruby's eyes once again, though they were already closed. The winged Faunus whispered something in his ear before giving an approving smile to Noir.

"Take a seat. I wasn't prepared for guests, so it will take longer than usual." Noir turned around, heading back to the kitchen. Ruby gave her teammates high fives, eager to see what they were going to have for dinner.

It was their first time actually acknowledging the beautiful decorations in the luxurious tent. The other times were filled with anger, confusion, and for team RWBY, sadness, and intoxication. Small, golden statues were found all around the tent, rare flowers were on the dining table and next to paintings, and a black and gold chessboard was found in the middle of the living room.

Jibril and Gilgamesh continued their unsubtle make-out session while Noir continued to cook. A small, awkward silence filled the atmosphere around the Hunters and Huntresses, not knowing what to do or say. On one side, Weiss and Ruby were at different ends of the table with Blake and Yang in the middle. The other, Nora and Jaune sat on the ends, with Ren and Pyrrha sitting next to their partners and loved ones.

Yang leaned in next to Blake, breaking the silence. "Hey, Blake, are you sure you don't want Noir as a side man?" She whispered, her lilac eyes moving from Blake to the Reaper's backside and back. "I mean, he can cook and we have quite a nice view."

The cat Faunus followed her gaze to Noir, team RWBY's side of the table facing the kitchen. Weiss and Ruby did the same thing, along with the rest of team JNPR. Blake slapped Yang on the arm for even suggesting such a thing. She stands firm on being loyal to her boyfriend.

Weiss smirked, acknowledging the situation and taking advantage of it. "I guess you can say that Sun will always _shine_ in Blake's eyes." She whispered confidently to them.

Even Jibril couldn't ignore such a bad joke with her Faunus hearing, accidentally groaning in Gilgamesh's mouth, giving off a weird signal to the King. Yang turned around to the heiress, displeased with the pun. It was almost as bad as the pun she made about Neo after she escaped with Roman.

Weiss crossed her arms and turned away. "Humph! I can be funny, too, and you know it."

* * *

Blake flashed a gluttonous stare at the plate of food in front of her. Its aroma was heavenly and its appearance made it even more appetizing for the cat Faunus. Reaper had prepared a seafood special for all three teams consisting of flounder, crab, lobster, and Blake's favorite, tuna. No one questioned where he got the ingredients because all they cared about was the alluring appearance of the food before them.

"All right, team RWBY, team JNPR! Let's dig in!" Ruby rejoiced before devouring her crab legs.

Weiss, on the other hand, had actual table manners and began eating her lobster without making a mess. The King, the Perfect Soldier, and the Reaper sat on one side of the long, dining table, Gilgamesh sitting on his throne-like seat.

"Bwhere'z…Moba?" Nora uttered incoherently with a mouthful of flounder. She quickly swallowed it, Ren taking a napkin and wiping the edges of his girlfriend's mouth.

"Nora, don't talk with your mouth full. It's impolite." Ren scolded with a small smile. She just answered him with a giggle and continued eating her dinner.

Nova walked in through the entrance, carrying his large claymore sword and dragging a container on the ground. He made a hefty sigh, relieved that the day was finally over. The Demon's nose sniffed the air, immediately recognizing the sweet, sweet aroma.

"Speak of the devil, or should I say, _Demon_." Yang grinned, pointing at Weiss. Everyone stopped what they were doing, all of them staring at the blonde Huntress with annoyance or disappointment.

Nova dragged the container into the kitchen, rested his claymore on his bed, and sat down next to Ruby and Jaune on the opposite side of the table of his teammates. He didn't even acknowledge everyone's presence until he had a full plate of food in front of him.

Weiss turned to Noir who sat next to her with a question in mind. There was something bugging her since they arrived at the base camp. She was going to be the next CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, yet, Demon claims that they didn't know all the types of dust out there in the world. Of course, it was virtually impossible to know _every_ combination of Dust, but Dust that could heal wounds instantly? Dust that could bring people back from the dead? Weiss felt obligated to know how to create this kind of Dust, not for her company, but for the benefit of everyone in Remnant.

"Reaper, Demon tells us that you used Dust to heal and revive Blake and Ren. May I ask what kind of Dust did you use?" The Heiress asked curiously. Team RWBY and JNPR's attention turned to Noir, wanting to know as well. Jibril, however, stopped eating and glanced up. Even Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow at Weiss' question.

Jibril gave a nasty scowl towards Nova, who was already eating his eighth crab leg. She then began speaking in a language that nobody knew except team ANJN. The four kingdoms only knew one language, English, but there were old, dead languages that were made during the formations of the kingdoms.

Blake watched the two turn a one-sided conversation into a heated argument. None of them knew what Jibril and Nova were arguing about because of the strange language, but they could only assume it was about Weiss' question. The argument only lasted for a minute when the King rose up from his throne, irritated at his two subordinates yelling across the table.

"**Silence!**" His voice was booming, fit for a king. Jibril and Nova stopped, Yang, Ren, and Pyrrha noticing something change about Nova. They had no idea what changed, but their instincts told them that it wasn't good.

Blake, too, got up from her seat. The guilt was eating away at her and she couldn't take it anymore. She faced Noir, hoping to find an answer from him. "What…what is going to happen to you? I can't sit still knowing that you risked something important to revive Ren and me. What did you lose?" Blake pleaded, blaming herself while she spoke out to him.

The Reaper closed his eyes, sighing. "I don't know what Demon has told you before, but when I use my left arm and heal people, I feel 150 times the pain and suffering of the injured party. If the injured party is revived within 24 hours of time of death, I lose the amount of time the person has been dead multiplied by 150. You died fifteen minutes before revival while Ren died thirty minutes before revival meaning-"

"He lost 6,750 minutes of his life, equivalent to 112.5 hours or 4 days, 16 hours, and 30 minutes." Jibril hissed, glaring daggers at Nova.

Blake covered her mouth in shock before sitting back down. Guilt surged into her, realizing the repercussions Noir faced. Weiss told her that her Aura wasn't going to hold, yet her resentment and hatred fueled her blind rage to keep going. In hindsight, a little under 5 days loss wasn't that much, but it adds up. The fact that they knew the repercussions meant it happened before, how much of his life was shortened before they came here?

Four days…sixteen hours…and thirty minutes. That's how much her foolish vendetta cost him. Four days, sixteen hours, and thirty minutes. That same line kept repeating in the Huntress' mind, over and over and over again. Blake couldn't look at him or anyone on his team in the eyes anymore.

"As long as I serve my purpose, the length of my life doesn't concern me." Noir explained simply, uncaring of the fact that his life has shortened.

"What are you talking about!? You are our friends! We wouldn't want to lose any of you guys!" Ruby argued to the strange team.

Gilgamesh snickered at Ruby. "That's what I don't understand from you people. You don't know any of us. None of you know our past or who we really are. Yet, you say we are your friends. Are you even sure if we consider you as equals?"

Ruby was shut down by the King's logic. It was true, no one knew who team ANJN personally. They don't even know their real names, only going by the names of Demon, Reaper, or the alias' they used. Ruby didn't know what there hobbies are, what they like or don't like, or if they even like her and her friends. She just slumped back in her seat, defeated.

Weiss stood up from her seat, her light blue eyes glaring into the King's crimson red ones. "You're right, we don't know you. We have no reason to call you friends. In fact, even now, I don't trust any of you. However, you saved Blake and Ren. You're willing to go to war with your own people that you ruled over."

She took a deep breath before looking at each and every person from team ANJN. "If we are going to fight, side-by-side, then we need to know everything about each other. Your strengths, your weaknesses, your real names, all of it. We'll be up all night if we have to. I won't have someone that I don't trust covering my back in battle or protecting us while we train."

Ruby looked up in amazement at her partner. The Heiress sure knew how to impress a room of people. She made a small smile at Weiss, glad that the heiress said what she said.

Gilgamesh looked down at the shorter Huntress, smirking at her for the short speech. "Very well, Weiss Schnee, we will tell you our pasts."

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter, we dive into the pasts of our four friends of team ANJN! I do hope the repercussions sort of make up with the whole revival god like power. Sacrificing your life to save another, cool eh?**

**Hope you enjoy! Any comments, concerns, or questions can be asked through PM's!**


	13. Sins of Old

A young girl sat behind a metal crate, her eyes darting back and forth. She hugged her legs, using the darkness to hide inside the room. The young girl's breath slowed as the metal door slid open, letting the light of the hallway inside. She hid deeper into the corner, hoping that she wouldn't be found.

Light footsteps could be heard, along with voices from people that walked past the room. She placed her hands over her mouth, the shadow of a person slowly making their way towards her. After a few moments, the footsteps stopped and a cute boy with clear, blue eyes popped over the metal crates. "Found you."

The young girl jumped out from the corner and landed next to the boy. "How did you find me!? I'm definitely sure I wasn't making any sounds!" She pouted, her hands on her hips.

The young boy made a small smile and pointed at her snow-white wings. "They were sticking out, Luxuria."

The young Faunus looked at her beautiful wings and sighed. "Did I at least last longer than Ira?" She asked, walking beside him as they left the dark storage room. The hallways were lit up with lightning Dust that flowed in Aura-generating tubes in the floor and ceiling. Soldiers, scientists, and executives walked past the two, minding their own business. The two children stopped in front a stainless steel door, labeled 'The Prince's Quarters.'

"You did much better than Ira. I found him within the first minute." The young boy pressed his fingers on a fingerprint scanner, allowing him access to the room.

The bedroom was quite large, being illuminated with lightning Dust as well. Paintings hung from the wall, having a golden frame around them. The bedroom had two floors, the second floor only being half of the first floor. It had glass railings, allowing an overlooking view of the first. The first level was covered with exquisite marble while the second had red and gold carpets.

A small table was found in the center of the room, one-half of it being illuminated by lightning Dust, the other having a shadow that was cast by level above. They were greeted by three people, two of which are playing chess while the other spectated.

"Ah, you finally found Luxuria. Good job, Invidia." A boy with jet-black hair moved away from the chess game to high five Invidia. He then fist bumped Luxuria, locking his dark violet eyes with her golden ones. "You win this time."

"Ha, you hear that? 'This time' he says. I've won three times in a row, Ira, and I'll keep winning." Her thumb pointed at herself, a large grin on her face.

"Guys, shhhhh! I'm trying to think here!" Another boy with golden hair shushed them, trying to think of a way to get out of his predicament in the chess game. Another girl sat across from him with the wings of a dove. Unlike Luxuria's wings that extended from the back of her hips, this girl's wings sprouted from the center of her back, near her spine. A large, light blue paper flower rested on the right side of her short, straight blue hair. She had amber eyes and lavender eye shadow, and she was tallest person in the room. The dove Faunus was also a year older than everyone, being seven years old while the others were all six.

A small smile was on her face as the blonde boy moved his king piece one space to the left, falling into her trap. She took her queen piece and moved it diagonally. "Checkmate. I win again, your highness."

"I told you guys to stop calling me that! It's Gilgamesh until I become king, and even then I still prefer my name." The young prince tipped his king piece and sighed, disappointed at his crushing defeat.

Ira looked over the chessboard, a finger on his chin. "You never hold back, sis."

"Of course, it would insulting to my opponents if I didn't try my best." The young girl got up from her seat and walked to Invidia, a smile on her face. "How was the game of hide-and-seek?"

Invidia's face reddened, his eyes looking away from the young dove Faunus. "It was…uh…it was great, Virtus." He stuttered, trying avert his gaze.

Virtus wrapped her arms around the shorter Invidia and squeezed tightly. "Ah, you're sooo cute!" She squealed with glee. Luxuria, Ira, and Gilgamesh tried to stifle their laughs, but failed. She let go of the crimson red child and pecked his cheek. "When does your and Luxuria's experiments start?"

Luxuria answered for Invidia. "Tomorrow, his experiment is in the morning while mine is at night. If they both go well, then we'll be the strongest six year olds in the Cizinec Sovereignty."

Virtus wrapped her arms around Invidia from behind and rested her chin on top of his head. "That's good. I'm worried about what happens if it doesn't go well. It was only proposed to the government a week ago and I don't want anything to happen to you two."

"Nothing will keep me away from your side…" Invidia muttered under his breath, completely forgetting that Luxuria and Virtus are Faunus.

"Oh?" Luxuria smirked, waving for Ira and Gilgamesh to come to her side so she can tell them what the blushing boy just said.

Virtus' face flushed to the color of Gilgamesh's red carpet and let go of Invidia. "W-What are you saying!? I-I mean I would l-like that but…GAH!" She picked up a chess piece from the board and threw it at him, embarrassed at what she said.

Virtus missed completely, making Luxuria catch it. The winged Faunus smirked as she looked at the golden chess piece. "Oh, ho, ho. Does that mean that Invidia is you knight in shining armor?" Luxuria held up the knight chess piece, causing the two to blush even more. Ira and Gilgamesh glanced at each other before giggling at their friends.

* * *

"_Start the experiment."_

"_He's waking up, why is he waking up!? Sedate him before it's too late!"_

"_We're losing him! You fucking imbecile, get me the…"_

"_What did you do to Invidia!? I'll have my father execute you if you don't save him!"_

"_Invidia, wake up…Didn't you say you won't leave my side? Please…wake up."_

His eyes shot open, his vision meeting nothing but darkness. Invidia sat up, turning a nob on the wall. Lightning Dust slowly started to flow through the Aura-generating glass tubes on the ceiling, dimly lighting the bedroom.

"Can't sleep?"

His clear, blue eyes turned to Virtus, her arms wrapping around his toned body. Her well-endowed curves pressed against the young teen's back and her chin rested on his shoulders. Invidia made a small smile, placing his hand over hers. Virtus kissed his cheek, her white wings stretching themselves out. She was always forced to sleep on her side because of her wings, but Virtus loved them still.

Invidia didn't feel the need to worry her, so he quietly muttered "I'm fine."

"It's been ten years since the experiments, Invidia. How long will it take for you to realize that you can't hide anything from me?" Virtus asked, her fingers tracing the outlines of his abs.

At the age of six, Invidia and Luxuria, along with many other Cizinec citizens, signed up to be experimented on to enhance their fighting potential and help in the war against Grimm. After going through many tests, Luxuria and Invidia were the only ones deemed strong enough to handle the experiment and its painful aftermath. Two six year olds being chosen over adults and soldiers spoke volumes on how powerful they were.

To achieve the desired results, they needed to experiment on the patient's brain along with his or her bloodstream. The scientists would inject refined, powdered Dust into the person's body, which was very dangerous if it wasn't handled properly. If the experiment succeeded, the patient's body would be able to generate artificial Dust within their body. The patient would only be able to create the four basic types of Dust, but its artificial creation would occur naturally.

The Dust would then mix in the bloodstream of the person, creating all new types and it would keep going until there is no more Dust types left. The patient would become the most powerful, versatile weapon in the world of Remnant. Having access to every form of Dust known and unknown, the person would be unstoppable. Although, the scientists and researchers weren't prepared for the numerous flaws the experiment had and the consequences it brought to Invidia, its first patient.

His limbic system, the area in the brain where he can form strong emotions, was severely damaged. Invidia couldn't form any type of strong emotion because of it. His limbic system only reacted to one person, Virtus. Even if he interacted with Virtus, the only emotions he showed were love and fervent happiness. Anger, pain, resentment, disgust, surprise, fear, every emotion was no longer within his capabilities to make. All Invidia could do was make a small smile, redden slightly, or frown slightly.

Along with his limbic system, the area of the brain where it manipulated his Aura was completely fried. Invidia had no emotions left to show and he couldn't control his Aura anymore. To an outsider, it would appear as if his soul was no longer within his body. Thanks to the influence of Gilgamesh, Luxuria didn't have to go through the experiment, even if they managed to perfect it. Invidia fell into a coma for three months, yet they achieved the desired results of creating one of the most powerful soldiers in the world.

Invidia stayed silent, looking over to the holographic clock that was on the nightstand. Virtus pouted, using her weight and strength to pull the expressionless man back down. He didn't resist, laying his head on the comfy pillow. She removed the blankets that covered their naked bodies and straddled Invidia, her amber eyes staring seductively into his blue ones.

"You're still as cute as ever, my Reaper." The taller woman leaned down, her lips pressing against his. Invidia let the woman roam his body, allowing her lips to move lower and lower. Before she reached the area of desire, he stopped her, his eyes staring at the metal door.

Virtus sulked until she glanced up at her loved one. The older woman knew what the look meant and she quickly moved away from the bed, silently dressing herself and tossing Invidia his two long, barreled pistols. He pointed his right pistol at the door and pulled the trigger. Virtus froze, her amber eyes inspecting the door.

"Clear?" Virtus asked, putting on her labret piercing and her signature light blue paper flower.

"Clear." Invidia got out of his bed and walked next to Virtus, grabbing his white uniform and his obsidian black mobile suit. He started to fill the suit's belt with wind Dust, his attention focused on the surroundings around him. Invidia could feel the hostility from the enemy soldiers that were roaming around the base. The emotion was growing stronger and stronger, one of them more prevalent than the rest.

"We have to warn the others." Virtus stated, putting on her purple stockings and blue high heels. She took out a communication device and put it on her ear. "This is Angel. His highness was correct, the insurrection has started."

* * *

"Very well, rendezvous in front of the king's throne room. Perfect Soldier and I will escort Prince Gilgamesh there." Ira relayed to Virtus. The bedroom was dimly lit, only allowing enough light for Ira and Gilgamesh to bare their immediate surroundings.

Luxuria had her head out the door, a red arrow primed in between her fingers. The red arrow radiated a heat haze, showing off the effects of the fire Dust the Perfect Soldier used. Demon turned to Gilgamesh, bowing his head. "Are you ready, sir?"

The Prince was on the second floor of his room, wearing his golden armor and staring down at his two friends. His father saw the unrest of a certain political faction that opposed the crown and predicted that something like this may happen. He moved away from the railing and went down his spiral staircase. "It's about time. The treacherous cur will know what it means to betray me."

Luxuria took point while Ira covered the rear. Gunfire and screams could be heard all around the base. A large explosion shook the hallway, causing the lightning Dust to stop flowing through the glass tubes. The base went dark, no one being able to see anything within five feet of them. Luckily, Luxuria was a Faunus and her night vision allowed the three to sneak around without unsuspectingly running into enemies. After a few minutes of traversing in the dark, the three met up with Invidia and Virtus, surrounded by bodies of their enemies. The five began to make their way to the throne room, hoping to meet up with Gilgamesh's father, the king, and the personal guard which Ira commanded.

As they got closer and closer to the throne room, weaving in and out through the dark metal maze of the military base, the more they felt it. It was a powerful presence, an Aura that could only be described with two words, absolute dominance.

They knew whom it came from, why the person was here, and what will happen if a battle ensued between them and the person. The group entered through the large doors of the throne room, only to be greeted by the putrid stench of dead bodies and horrific sight of red liquid dripping from the walls.

The lights of the throne room flickered on, showing them what no sixteen and seventeen-year-old teenager should see. Yet, none of them were fazed by the brutality of the aftermath. Throughout the Cizinec Sovereignty's history, this was the first real conflict for them. They never partook within the Great War between the four kingdoms of Remnant and they gladly accepted the fleeing winged Faunus with open arms. The people of the Cizinec only raised their arms against Grimm.

Severed limps, burned bodies, decapitated heads being impaled through pikes, lances, spears, or swords. To the Cizinec, this is standard warfare. No mercy, no quarter, no survivors. They calmly walked through the sea of blood and gore that covered the stainless steel floor.

Gilgamesh scanned the room, disgusted at how the minced bodies littered the royal throne room. His crimson eyes looked up, looking for the source of a shadow that was cast over him. Above their heads hung the king of the Cizinec Sovereignty, his body crucified on the symbol of their kingdom. The severed limbs were tied to the three long, purple diamonds and the head was impaled on the rhombus in between the two diamonds that held the arms. His dismembered body was tied to the center and his intestines overlapped the green circle that surrounds the diamond shapes.

"Gil…" Luxuria muttered, slowly walking towards her beloved boyfriend. Gilgamesh didn't move from his position, staring at what was left of his father, the late King.

"You're a fool, son of Lugalbanda." A deep, gruff voice stated, coming from the darkness of the halls.

The four bodyguards of the Prince turned around simultaneously, taking a defensive formation in front of Gilgamesh. Elite soldiers began to rush in, wearing Infiltrator Suits, their SMG's pointing at them.

Suddenly, an immense pressure fell upon Ira, Invidia, Luxuria, and Virtus. It was if the world's gravity had increased. The same Aura that they felt running through the hallways entered, his footsteps echoing in the silent room. Gilgamesh, however, remained unfazed. The young sixteen-year-old Prince had fought with this powerful force multiple times during his training to becoming a fierce warrior and king.

The soldiers parted, letting the man come into view. He had long, white hair and a long, pointy beard. An X-shaped scar was on his forehead that extended over his teal eyes. He wore a simple, black toga that showed his upper, right portion of his chest. A long barreled, dark purple assault rifle was found on his left hand and a silver short sword, stained with blood, on his right. A wicked smile was found on his face, ready to end the cruel, oppressive reign of the royal family in a single night.

"No, my father was a fool. He allowed you to live, even after finding enough evidence to execute you, hoping to manipulate you and use you, to direct your hatred of the crown towards his enemies. I, on the other hand, will not make the same mistake, Vitium. As of this moment, I am the new King of the Cizinec Sovereignty. Be honored, mongrel! You'll be the first person I will execute."

The newly declared King walked forward and picked up a golden object that was right under the crucified King. The king's right, rotten hand was still holding onto the grip of the blunt, unbalanced weapon. Gilgamesh took the hand and threw it aside, landing next to Ira's butchered subordinates.

"Your family has ruled the Cizinec Sovereignty since the beginning of our history, leading us through the hardships against the Grimm. No one will deny the amount of gratitude we have for giving us hope in times of darkness. Yet, your ancestors decided to keep our existence hidden, to keep our technological advancements a secret." Vitium slowly walked forward and raised his sword against the King. "If we had shared our technology with the other kingdoms, a lot more lives could have been saved in the war against Grimm."

"You're the Cizinec's most renowned scientist, yet you are simple-minded. Yes, lives would have been saved, but how many would have been lost if our technology was used in the Great War or the Faunus Right's Revolution?" Gilgamesh asked, taking a few steps forward, walking past his friends and bodyguards.

"If we have intervened, we could have prevented those global conflicts. Nevertheless, we still hid within our bunkers. We stayed underground, secluded from the world that does not ask for our help, but truly needs it." Vitium took a deep breath, the stench of the bodies he and his men disposed of filling his senses one last time. "Farewell, False King."

He quickly raised his assault rifle and fired the first shot. Ira quickly jumped forward, his claymore barely slicing the plasma ammunition to throw off its trajectory. The soldiers quickly followed their leader, plasma bullets raining down upon the five. Luxuria fired her fire dust imbued arrow before letting her halo surround her friends. "Eternal Fourth Protection!"

* * *

**A/N: This is why my characters names aren't colors, since they didn't participate in the Great War, which is the reason why the color naming was there in the first place, I believe. It does follow a theme, if you can guess it you win! The Dust thing is viable because it is said that you can inject dust into yourself to access its powers, so the Cizinec took this idea and experimented with it. Hope you enjoyed!**


	14. Regrets of Old

"Wait, wait, wait." Weiss waved her hands to stop them, interrupting team ANJN's story telling. Nora booed her and threw a finished crab leg at the heiress. Weiss caught the crab leg before it hit her face, unlike the pie during their first food fight.

"Nora!" Ren scolded. He didn't want another repeat of their food fight…again. The second time it happened, Goodwitch didn't let it slide since both teams were in their third year. They got detention for the next two weeks and forced the two teams to clean up their mess, even though Goodwitch could fix it in a matter of seconds. It also ruined Ren's clothes, and he didn't want to buy another set.

"What? I want to hear what happens next! This is much better than the stories that I tell! Only barely, though." She smiled, eager to hear what will happen in the epic tale of team ANJN's past.

Weiss glared at her before putting down the crab leg. "I need to confirm a few things before continuing." She pointed at Nova, then Jibril, and then at Noir. "Ira, Luxuria, and Invidia, right?"

Luxuria nodded, intertwining her hands together. "Yes. Those are our real names. Invidia gave us Nova, Jibril, Noir, and Archer to use for Beacon Academy once he forged our transcripts and hacked into Beacon's databases undetected." The winged Faunus explained. "Demon, Reaper, and Perfect Soldier are code names given to us by the military."

Weiss' next question was simple. One word, yet its answer carried a lot of weight, not only for herself, but also for her team and the survivors of the four kingdoms. They needed to know the truth, and the eight Hunters and Huntresses will need to determine if their answer is true. "Why? Why come to Beacon? I've watched how you carry yourselves in battle and it is obvious that you tower over us in terms of battle prowess. So, why come to a school of Hunters and Huntresses-in-training?"

A small moment of silence filled the air. Pyrrha and Weiss fought Ira during their sparring matches, but both of them gave as much as they could and still lost. They were still young, inexperienced Hunters but their skills weren't something to laugh at. They knew, deep down, that Ira was holding back. If he was using the claymore against his opponents, he was holding back. If Ira had his armor on, he was holding back. Only Pyrrha and Weiss knew that his equipment was for show. The two could only imagine his power if he fought seriously.

The King fixed his gaze to the heiress. "To scout and recruit potential allies. We spent four years on the borders of Vale and Vacuo, planning our next move to retake my crown. Invidia proposed a plan to be surrounded by the four kingdom's elites-in-training a.k.a Hunters and Huntresses."

Invidia continued for Gilgamesh, pulling out his scroll. The screen showed multiple charts and graphs with pictures of Beacon students that appeared and disappeared, making it impossible to tell what was going on in it. "At your current capacity, the only warriors that can fight at the level of Cizinec elite soldiers are Yang Xiao Long and Pyrrha Nikos. Behind them are Blake Belladonna, Nora Valkyrie, and Ruby Rose, Ruby having the highest skill ceiling out of the three. All other students wouldn't stand a chance on the battlefield."

Weiss felt offended that she wasn't even considered to be on the list, let alone be told that she would die on the battlefield. She couldn't complain, though. Yang and Pyrrha had a reputation of being the best fighters in their generation, while Blake trained with the military faction of the White Fang. Nora and Ruby were just gifted with raw, natural talent. It hurt her pride to admit it to herself, but she could barely stand against them.

The heiress set aside her thoughts and took a deep breath. Something clicked in her mind as she reviewed the backstory team ANJN gave. Weiss hesitated to ask the next question. She could already tell what the answer was going to be, realizing that a fifth name was mentioned within their story, but only four were present.

"Then Virtus…"

Luxuria slowly nodded, her head hanging low. "Virtus was kind, gentle, but she didn't hesitate to kill when we were in danger. She was the 'Angel,' not I. Virtus believed in the King and his reasons. She studied the four kingdoms and watched the discrimination and hatred of the Faunus escalate. If Vitium had his way and shared our technology to the world, the word Faunus would be associated with extinct."

Blake shuddered at the thought. Being in the White Fang, you see the results of many hate crimes against the Faunus. It may have been exaggerated to recruit more people, but some pictures were too real, too sick to edit and manipulate.

"I will never forget her bloodcurdling scream as we escaped." Luxuria trembled in her seat, Virtus' voice echoing in her mind. She looked up to Virtus, following her footsteps when she wasn't following Gilgamesh.

Yang's eyes widened and turned to Ira, who was silently eating his food. "You left your sister behind!?"

The Demon stopped eating and set down his food. "Yes…I did. It was for the future of the Cizinec Sovereignty. Gilgamesh must survive at all costs."

The blonde brawler was about to tell him off when Ruby stopped her. The young Huntress saw the agony and depression in Ira's eyes. Ruby knew it all too well. Her father wore that face every single day ever since her mother died. She even wore that melancholy expression for the first few weeks after finding out. Yang relented her harsh words and wrapped an arm around her little sister.

"She could be alive. I mean, you guys only heard her scream, right? Virtus could have just been captured by that guy, Vitium." Jaune pointed out, trying to be optimistic.

Luxuria's head hung lower and Ira rested his forehead on the back of his hands. Invidia got up from his chair and went to the container in the kitchen. He didn't have the capacity to feel sad, yet something still tugged on his heart every time he remembered Virtus. Reaper distracted himself by opening the container, filled with water, fish, and crustaceans for dinner, and storing them in the freezer.

"Uh…" The way they reacted to Jaune's words, it was obvious that he was dead wrong.

"Virtus is dead. A week after our escape, I tasked Invidia to infiltrate the compound on a reconnaissance mission. He found Virtus' wings nailed to the wall of Vitium's lab. The wings showed signs of torture before they ripped it off her back." Gilgamesh explained to the team leader.

Blake's mouth was wide open behind her hands. She was very familiar of torture techniques used against both Faunus and humans. If she turned 18 while she was still in the White Fang, she would have gone through interrogation training to prevent spreading their secrets. But members under that age learned about the techniques way before they would have to endure it.

A cruel, detestable way to torture Faunus was to remove what made them Faunus. For Blake, it would have been her ears. For Sun, it would be his tail and for Virtus, it would be her wings. The humans used it to get information during the Faunus Rights Revolution and it sickened the cat Faunus. Even today, many Anti-Faunus groups would use do this on influential Faunus Rights leaders.

Jaune would have continued to press on that it was only her wings, not her body, but he didn't bother to give false hope. The four were smart and were childhood friends like Ren and Nora. They wouldn't give up on their friend unless they were very sure.

Yang turned to Invidia, who was emptying the container into the freezer powered by ice and lighting Dust. "How about Invidia and his Aura? The experiment left him unable to use Aura, so how can he still use Dust?"

Luxuria turned around, her purple pupils and gold iris looking at her emotionless childhood friend. "Once he woke up, they found out that it was a success. X-rays show that artificial Dust was flowing in his bloodstream and mixing together. The artificial Dust was much weaker and more taxing to the user compared to regular Dust, but it came in unlimited supply. We found out about all new types of Dust by extracting blood from Invidia's body, starting from water Dust all the way to the final Dust combination, bonds Dust."

The seven students turned to Weiss, but even she was confused about this Dust type. Luxuria faced them, not needed to hear them to know that they had no idea what bonds Dust was. She grinned, ready to show off her knowledge.

"In science, the term bond is defined as a force of attraction that holds atoms or ions together in a molecule or crystal. There are different types of bonds, like ionic bonds, metallic bonds, polar bonds, et cetera. Like how fire and ice Dust create and manipulate fire or ice, bond Dust manipulate the bonds that hold the very basic units of matter." Luxuria explained happily.

The only people who completely understood were Weiss, Pyrrha, and surprisingly, Ruby, who always studied with Weiss in between sessions. The rest were lost, either not remembering the topic or they were just bad at science. Weiss thought of all the applications that bond Dust would provide. Bond Dust would be able to destroy the very bonds of matter, turning people into nothing and recreate matter by forming bonds with atoms. This would be a revolutionary discovery once she knew how to make such Dust.

"Okay, okay, wait. How can he remember all of that!? I don't think anyone can remember the basic atomic structure of a red blood cell, white blood cell, muscle cells, and the rest!" Ruby exclaimed.

"That kind of knowledge is quite taxing to learn, but Invidia could manage." Ira stated. "Invidia has a supercomputer as a brain, but it's only filled with equations, formulas, and numbers. If he wasn't part of the military, he would have been Remnant's greatest inventor and scientist." Demon felt proud for his partner, praising his intelligence.

"As for the original question, the scientists thought that nothing happened, but they quickly realized that his Aura wasn't regenerating after using his Dust." The winged Faunus continued.

"Legend says that Aura is the manifestation of one's soul, so we knew he still had Aura, but he couldn't produce more. Which brought a concept among the Cizinec Sovereignty top scientists. If Aura is the manifestation of one's soul, then said soul should be able to activate the properties of Dust."

Weiss then interjected the improbable theory she is proposing. "You're not going to tell us that he can access his soul, are you?"

Luxuria chuckled, waving her hand. "Well, we actually don't know. A year after waking up, he was able to use Dust as if nothing happened to him. After going through various tests, the scientists found out that using Dust sent signals of pain through his nerves." The winged Faunus frowned, looking over her shoulder to her childhood friend. "It took a few days for bonds Dust to appear in his bloodstream. You can predict the commotion it caused once they figured out its abilities. The Cizinec soon found the side effects shortly after."

"Artificial bonds Dust was too difficult for anyone to control. Using a spec of the Dust took our strongest soldier's Aura down to zero and it only created one metallic bond. Invidia, however, was able to manipulate it easily, which brought concerns to all of us. We, especially Virtus, tried to convince him to stop using Dust, but he refused."

The winged Faunus glanced at the King and the Demon before facing the attentive audience. "How we found out the exact proportion of pain he felt is another story." She winked, teasing them.

"We never figured it out how he could use Dust, not even he knows why, but it made the concept of the soul a possibility. Scientists believe that the area of the brain that produces Aura wasn't completely destroyed, but after what happened last time, they didn't want to try and find out." Luxuria ended, taking a sip from her goblet.

It took a few moments for everyone to sink all the information in. Weiss had a lot more questions to ask, but she felt that this was enough for today. She sat down, satisfied at what she learned. The heiress clearly needed to train and become much stronger than she currently is to keep up with her friends.

Luxuria tilted her head to the side, her grin still on her face. "Are you ready for dessert?"

* * *

"Alright team RWBY, let's go!" Ruby cheered, carrying a military backpack with all her supplies inside. The sun was barely on the horizon when all of the students of Beacon's scrolls vibrated, receiving a message from Ozpin to pack up and move out. They were moving all of the civilians and Hunters-in-training who decided to fight out of the military base and farther away from Vale. It was going to turn into a battlefield and they needed all of the non-combatants out of the way.

None of them, however, were as hyperactive as their leader. Yang was the most irritated because her voluptuous hair was messy and they haven't showered in three days now. Ruby and Blake didn't find any place to clean themselves other than the river and they knew how Weiss stands with that.

The young leader dragged her sleepy teammates to the back of the base where all of the civilians were. Like the briefing, not many of their schoolmates were present and the ones who were there were overwhelmed with fear. Their hands were shaking as they held their weapons, backpacks, or friend's hands. One of them, however, stood above the rest and instead of fear, determination surrounding his aura.

Ruby recognized the large weapon and that burnt orange hair anywhere. She didn't like him one bit, especially when he tried to bully Jaune and mess with Velvet. Though, being a team leader like him, she felt obligated to at least say hi, especially when he had no team left to lead.

She waited for Jaune and his team to show up, just as tired as everybody else. Ruby approached Jaune who was yawning from the lack of sleep he had. "Morning, do you mind if I borrow him Pyrrha?"

The red-haired Huntress tilted her head to the side and nodded. "Sure, Ruby. Why do you want him?"

Ruby pointed at Cardin, carrying a large backpack in one hand and his black mace on the other. "As much as we don't like team CRDL, I feel sorry for him. He doesn't really have a team left so I was hoping Jaune and I, as team leaders, could see what's on his mind."

Pyrrha didn't like the idea one bit, being a little overprotective of her Jaune. Though, she understood where Ruby was coming from and gave her boyfriend a peck on the cheek before letting go of his hand.

The two team leaders separated from their teams, letting them mingle and rant about how early in the morning it is, and went to Cardin. The leader was secluded near the side, the civilians and students being farther away from him than necessary. He scoffed at them once they entered his sight. "What do you want, Rose?"

She furrowed her eyebrows at his remark, but she reasoned with herself that he was just cranky because of the time of day. "Jaune and I are here to see how you are holding up. I know we aren't in the best of terms but we're sorry about what happened to your friends. I'm hoping we can put aside our differences, being in the same boat and all."

Cardin rolled his eyes and focused his view forward. "I don't need your sympathy. They were only my teammates, nothing more, nothing less."

Jaune stepped up, his hands balled up into a fist. "You can't possibly believe that. The four of you have spent three years together, either bullying me, Velvet, or being in detention. They can't be just 'teammates.'"

"Sure Jaune, whatever you say." Cardin added.

Ruby placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder and shook her head. She hoped that they could reconcile with Cardin, but he is as stubborn as ever. They turned and returned to their team from their fruitless conversation when Ozpin showed up with Ira and the team behind them. They had their armor and weapons in hand, attracting the attention of everyone.

The headmaster nodded at Ruby before walking past them towards the front of the group. He faced the crowd and addressed them. "I hope your night was as well as it could be. For the safety of the civilians, we are moving you farther away from the base to a much more secluded area. Do not worry, Grimm will not be a problem for my students, and the camp will be in a very defendable location."

"For all who have volunteered to train and fight, you will learn from the four people behind me. Their pasts should not matter to you, but their knowledge and skills should. All certified Hunters will have to stay here, including the teachers of Beacon and myself. We won't see each other for a while, so I wish you all the best of luck." Ozpin stepped away and shook the King's hand before leaving to attend his other duties.

Gilgamesh looked around, letting the rustling leaves and the chirping birds speak. Like the first day of the semester, he stood tall and dignified. His golden armor's finish shined from the early morning sun behind him, emphasizing his powerful demeanor.

"You are all now under my command. I will not tolerate disobedience. The coordinates given to me by Ozpin will take us a day to get there. We only have a limited amount of trucks, so elderly and children get on first. Hunters and Huntress will walk all around the trucks and provide security. We are leaving in five minutes." Gilgamesh ordered.

As soon as everyone was settled in the trucks or ready to walk with them, they left the military base and headed for the location. Gilgamesh rode in the first truck, not subjecting himself to walk in the dirt. Luxuria stayed in the air above them, keeping an eye on any Nevermore Grimm. Ira, team JNPR, and a few other students were the vanguard, walking ahead of the civilian convoy while Invidia and RWBY stayed behind to cover their rear.

Blake and other Faunus kept their focus on the sounds around them, trying to see if any Grimm were stalking them, though the sound of truck engines made that difficult. Yang and Weiss were talking to themselves and Ruby was pestering Invidia to let her inspect his weapons. The young Huntress only knew that they were silver, long barreled pistols, but they didn't shoot Dust ammunition. There had to be some purpose to them. She also really wanted to see his obsidian black mobile suit he wore. Invidia said that the belt was filled with wind Dust, which explained why he could fly. You had to be very careful and precise on the amount of Dust you consumed for you to be able to keep yourself from flying to fast or not fast enough and crashing into the ground.

"Come on, let me see them! We can trade weapons for a minute, I'm sure my sweetheart won't disappoint you!" Ruby pleaded, twirling Crescent Rose around her.

The facemask was collapsed inside his helmet as he spoke to Ruby. "I don't think I can carry your High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe, Ruby. It is far too heavy for my physique."

She pouted, collapsing her weapon and sheathing it behind her, giving relief to some of the walking civilians around her. "At least tell me their names."

Invidia pondered, looking at her silver eyes. He didn't really have a name for either of them. At least, he couldn't remember what they were named. The limbic system was also the part of the brain which dealt with long term memories.

Ruby looked at his weapons, admiring its simple design and complicated etching. Her gaze moved up when the pistols began to fall to the floor, away from his hands.

"Wha- AH!" Ruby yelped, two metal arms enclosing around her. Its weight and force pushed her down as screams and shrieks filled the air. Her eyes were open, but she couldn't see over the obsidian black shoulders that covered her face.

A high-pitched voice, most likely from a young woman, could be heard by Ruby nearby. "Help me!"

* * *

**A/N: The bonds Dust is viable since fire Dust creates fire out of thin air, same with ice Dust. And it's only special to Invidia of course since he doesn't use Aura to activate it, more like he uses pain. Masochistic, don't you agree? :P**

**I also realize that I will hit my goal of 100k words due to me being halfway there but not even a quarter of the way through my outline in terms of events that will take place. At my rate, it will probably be completed by next year or two. Maybe three. Anyway, hope you enjoy this week's chapter! PM me any questions comments concerns etc. and I'll answer it ASAP, same with reviews!**


	15. Ambush!

"Nora, please focus." Ren scolded Nora, whom lazily gazed at the birds resting on the tree branches around them. The vanguard consisting of team JNPR, Ira, and a few other students were a few hundred meters in front of the convoy of civilians, looking out for any Grimm lurking around them.

"But, Reeeeeen, we haven't run into any Griiiiiimmmmm." Nora whined, bored from the lack of action. It's been an hour since they departed from the military base and the orange-haired Valkyrie wanted to do anything than just walk around in the forest. She placed Magnhild close to her face, rubbing the head of it. "I'm sure Magnhild wants some action, too."

Jaune sighed, turning his head to his teammate. "It's probably better this way. We don't really know what is out here and how dangerous the Grimm are. The refugee camp is going to be farther from the walls than Mt. Glenn and into territory that haven't been explored since the revolution."

The red-haired Huntress was beside Ira, gazing at them from the front of the vanguard. Pyrrha made a small smile at their antics when her trained eyes noticed a bush rustle in her peripherals. The Huntress spun around, Miló switching from its javelin form into a rifle, and aimed at the bush. The students flinched, their eyes darting at the bush she was aiming at. Ira was already staring at its direction, waiting for any sudden movements. He raised an arm in front of Pyrrha and stopped her before she fired Miló.

"Show yourself." Ira ordered, his other arm motioning for his claymore.

Nora squeezed the handle of Magnhild as a Cizinec soldier came out of the bush, wearing the Infiltrator Suit mentioned at the briefing. Her focus quickly changed to the other students. "Watch your surroundings! There could be more!" She commanded, not wanting an ambush to occur like in her dream.

The elite soldier carried a bright purple submachine gun while she walked toward Ira. Pyrrha observed the elite cautiously, her iron sights trained onto her forehead. The soldier lowered her weapon and saluted Ira, but Pyrrha didn't lower her guard. Ira approached the soldier and began to speak to each other in the same language Luxuria used to yell at him.

The trees and ground shook from an explosion, knocking some students off their feet. Ren jumped up to the tree branches to get a better view, noting the smoke that rose from the location of the civilian convoy behind them.

Ren relayed what he saw to Jaune below and the team leader turned to the students around him. "Our friends are in trouble! Let's move!"

Ira and the elite stopped talking and followed behind them with Pyrrha continuing to watch the soldier closely.

* * *

Yang dove behind the ice wall Weiss created after a large explosion from the front of the convoy knocked them all down. The blonde hastily left it as soon as she got there and went beside Invidia who tackled Ruby to protect her. "Hey, Invidia, Ruby, you okay? Hey!"

The blonde Huntress gasped at the blood leaking out of the three bullet entrances. By the placements of the wounds, one of them definitely entered through his spine. Yang wasn't too worried, knowing the god-like healing power Invidia possessed. She was more worried if the bullets pierced through Invidia and hit Ruby.

Ruby squirmed away from Invidia's grasp, poking her head out over his shoulder. "He's not moving, Yang! Blake, help me get him behind cover! Yang, Weiss, Freezer Burn!"

Yang and Weiss glanced at each other before the blonde brawler leaped into the air, Ember Celica ready and loaded. Weiss spun Myrtenaster's Dust chamber and impaled the dirt road once the ice Dust locked in. The ground froze over and Yang came crashing down, smashing the epicenter with her gauntlets once Weiss moved away. The thick mist that came provided some cover for Ruby, Blake, and the rest of the civilians.

It was a futile effort, though, when the light around them blurred and Cizinec elites pointed their weapons at the Hunters' heads. Yang could feel the cold steel of the gun's barrel on her forehead, the trigger finger ready to let loose of she didn't surrender. The blonde brawler still had full Aura reserves and was ready to knock some soldiers out when Ruby motioned for her to stop.

Yang's red eyes followed Ruby's gaze and found a young woman with a knife pressed against her neck, drawing a trickle of blood. Even more civilians were rounded up and taken hostage, forcing the students to drop their weapons and surrender. Yang reluctantly did the same, collapsing Ember Celica and raising her hands over her head.

The mist cleared around the convoy, showing the firepower that the Cizinec Sovereignty possessed. Other than the basic soldiers, who wore similar armor to the soldiers of the four kingdoms except purple and teal, they were surrounded by tall, menacing robots.

Weiss tried to remember what Invidia told them about these soldiers.

* * *

_Military Briefing_

Weiss stared at the image being shown by the projector in disbelief. It was a large, dark purple and teal armored, humanoid robot. Its pauldrons, or shoulder armor, were long and bulky, the visor was black, and it carried two big, dark grey hand cannons. The composite armor was thick, giving it a feeling of a mini-Atlesian Paladin.

"Behind me is the picture of a Juggernaut Aura-using Exoskeleton suit, or JAX suit. They are seven feet tall and are infantry-vehicle hybrid soldiers. There are three versions of JAX, an anti-infantry unit, an anti-vehicle unit, and an anti-air unit. Though, the arm-mounted weapon systems allow the soldier to interchange different weapons for a variety of situations." Invidia explained to the distinguished commanding officers and Hunters.

"Their thick composite armor is made of advanced alloys, rendering small arms fire useless. Dust ammunition may have some effects, but they are built to be on the front lines and are more versatile than the Atlesian Paladins. Its weakness is its limited mobility and its very low resistance against explosives. As the name states, it feeds off the Aura of the user instead of Dust. The more powerful the Aura, the stronger the exoskeleton suit is. Once the person's Aura is depleted, JAX will no longer function, rendering it immobile. As the four kingdom's saying goes, it will be a 'sitting duck.'"

* * *

_If only we weren't detained…_Weiss sighed in her mind, slowly putting her Multi Action Dust Rapier down. She couldn't think of any plan that could get them out of this mess. Not without a few hostages or Hunters dying in the process, at least. Weiss hoped that the vanguard noticed the noise and come to their aid soon.

Some of the elite soldiers surrounded Ruby and Blake, who stood in front of their motionless friend. One of the elites reported to their communicator in their helmet, most likely letting their commander know that they secured the rear. Ruby slowly scanned her surroundings, trying to find something, _anything_, to save her team and the hostages. The only thing she saw were menacing JAX suits and small flashes of light from the sniper scopes in the woods.

An elite soldier approached the team leader, a futuristic pistol in his hand. Ruby didn't know if they spoke the same language, considering that former team ANJN knew a whole other language that no one has heard of. Yang became restless, watching the soldier approach her sister from a distance.

"Step aside, Huntress." The elite soldier's husky voice came through the suit's intercom.

Ruby, though, was defiant to his order. She knew what his intention was, knowing that Reaper and his team was wanted by the Cizinec Sovereignty. Dead or alive is what the video said, and Ruby would bet her cookie stash in Beacon that this soldier certainly wanted Invidia dead. Ruby, along with Blake, stood their ground.

The elite said nothing, only grabbing the collar of Ruby's dirty, torn-up cape and raising her into the air. He brought Ruby to his height, who was at least half a foot taller than she was. A hint of fear crept into the young Huntress' mind, but she couldn't show it in front of her friends and the innocent civilians watching. Keeping her emotions in check was a responsibility that every team leader had. She kept a straight face, staring into the green visor and waiting for him to make a move.

Yang's patience dissipated immediately, lunging towards the elite the instant he grabbed Ruby's collar. The brawler was subsequently knocked down by a JAX, whom bashed her from behind with its large weapon. Her red eyes gazed up, the fire in her hair growing stronger by the millisecond. There were two JAXs in front of her and the two elite soldiers behind her, looking down at the Huntress.

The seven feet tall, purple Exoskeletons directed their two arm-mounted, anti-infantry weapons at Yang. The two elites silently begged her to hastily lunge forward again so the JAXs could just gun her down. She slowly stood up from the ground, her anger not showing any signs of dissipating.

Yang paid close attention to the information about the JAX suits, noting how fearsome and awesome they looked. The blonde Huntress growled lowly, knowing that even she couldn't take all four at the same time. Her nails dug into her palm and her red eyes stared at the elite holding Ruby through the space between the two-exoskeleton suits.

The young Huntress and the elite soldier stared at each other, no words being exchanged, when his visor turned into a teal color. A few elites, JAXs, and soldiers' visors also changed from their green or black color into teal. The elite raised his pistol next to Ruby's face and pulled the trigger, the plasma bullet slipping past her face and into the back of another elite soldier that didn't have the teal visor. The elite dropped Ruby, training his pistol at the soldiers who didn't have teal visors.

Blake took her friend's hand and pulled Ruby beside her. She handed Crescent Rose to Ruby and they both watched the shocking turn of events. The Cizinec soldiers were fighting each other, though it seemed that the soldiers with teal visors were crushing the ones without.

The two JAXs in front of Yang had their visors turn teal and they shot the two elites behind her. Yang's shotgun gauntlets activated, ready to fight the two JAXs when they turned around and rained plasma into the group of non-teal soldiers. She didn't need to think twice before running away from them and next to Ruby, who had her High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe ready. Weiss followed, Myrtenaster loaded with Dust.

"I don't know what is happening, but we have to secure the civilians. Yang, take Reaper to the trucks. Weiss, Blake follow my lead." Ruby instructed, her teammates acknowledging her orders.

Yang threw Reaper onto her shoulder and dashed through the gunfire. The other three took the refugees and led them away from the Cizinec mayhem, carrying the injured on their backs. The young leader put down an elderly Faunus man and his injured grandson in one of the trucks. Ruby ran to the front, the cowering driver laying down out of sight.

"Take this truck out of here. Once I give you the signal, drive forward, and don't look back. The enemy should be busy shooting at each other to care about you." Ruby commanded. The driver slowly nodded before sitting straight up and looking for the best way out.

Yang placed the bleeding Reaper in the truck and left him in the care of an injured medic, who was bleeding from a gash on the side of his head. She waved to Ruby before returning into the fray and kneeling next to Weiss and Blake, set up behind her ice wall. The team leader hit the side of the door with the palm of her hand and the truck left the scene, leaving a trail of dust in its place.

Ruby joined her teammates, who were attentively watching the last few non-teal soldiers fall from their former allies. A few random Hunters and Huntresses joined them behind the wall, either slightly injured or stricken with terror.

"What do we do now?" Ruby whispered to her team.

They didn't know if the teal-visor soldiers were friends or foes, but they couldn't take the risk and ask them. There were only four third-year students and team RWBY present while they still had four JAX suits, a lot of regular soldiers, and elites.

The last black-visor JAX exploded from a grenade, letting the sounds of this battle be overtaken by another battle located near the front of the convoy. All of the soldiers turned around and faced the students of Beacon, covered in the blood of their ex-comrades. The sight of multiple, confident warriors colored with purple, teal, and red intimidated the on looking Hunters.

Ruby's silver eyes found the elite who held her still standing, holding the pistol that fired right next to her ear. The gun sounded like something you would find in a sci-fi movie. The teal visor, blood dripping from its right side, found the Huntress. He began to take a few steps forward, making some of the students flinch.

The free hand pressed a button on the helmet, the face make splitting into three according to the visor. It retreated into itself and revealed the face of a human. His eyes were light blue and he had a dark complexion.

"Sorry about that, I thought the signal would be given much earlier." The elite stated, holstering his pistol. The Hunters glanced at each other, but they didn't let their guard down.

The elite caught this turned to the soldiers and told them to lower their weapons. The soldiers complied and began to loot the bodies of their dead foes for ammunition. "You can ease up, we won't hurt you any further. My name is Leo Granville, Ascendant of the Cizinec Sovereignty. I believe they call it First Lieutenant in the four kingdoms."

Ruby stood up from her cover, gripping Crescent Rose in her hands. "Hi, I'm, uh, Ruby Rose. Leader of team RWBY, spelled with a W. Huntress, though not officially since I don't have the certificate." She stammered, her courage keeping her from showing any signs of fear. "Why did you turn on your allies?"

The elite soldiers smiled and gave a nod. "Well met, Ruby. We're here to join our King, if you would be so kind as to lead us to him, I'll explain on the way."

* * *

Pyrrha ran forward since she was faster than the rest. The skies blacken with smoke, the Huntress getting closer and closer to the convoy. A Beowolf jumped out from the trees, swinging his claws at her face. She didn't care for the soulless creature, quickly executing it with Miló and running past its disappearing body.

The Huntress grinded to a halt once she got into view. The trucks were unharmed for the most part, one of them having a flat tire from driving into a sharp rock on the road. What caught her attention were the flaming armored vehicles and the scattered bodies of Cizinec Sovereignty soldiers being looted by their comrades. Pyrrha didn't know what to make of it, but she dashed into the dense forest and hid behind some trees.

She signaled to Jaune and the others to do the same to prevent them from being seen. Jaune soon joined her, watching as the soldiers shoot their own in the back or head. He could feel the stomach bile rise up to exit his mouth, but he held it in for the moment.

"I don't know if they're friendly, so let's wait this out. If they start attacking the civilians, I suggest we move through the forest and surround them before charging in." Pyrrha proposed to the team leader.

Jaune took a deep breath before nodding. His eyes noticed Nora and Ren across the dirt path, peering through the thick foliage. The team leader's gaze then met a calmly walking Ira and the elite soldier who approached them. They walked past the hiding Hunters and was met by Luxuria, her white wings flapping to slow her descent.

The winged Faunus waved at Jaune and Pyrrha, their attempt at hiding failing to the trained eyes of a Faunus. Jaune sighed in relief, leaving the forest with Pyrrha and the Hunters. At closer inspection, red liquid was dripping from the blades of Luxuria's tonfas.

Jaune gulped, hoping that this wasn't a trap set by the former team ANJN. Ira turned to the incoming students. "Secure the perimeter, kill any soldier not wearing a teal visor." He commanded.

Pyrrha gave him a nod, her eyes avoiding the hellish landscape only a few feet away. There were old photos of battles from the Great War and this matched the more gruesome images taken. A gust of wind almost knocked her back, making Jaune help his girlfriend steady herself. The wind was followed by rose petals that scattered onto the dirt.

Ruby stopped in front of Ira, Luxuria, and the Cizinec Soldier. "Did a truck come through here!? Reaper's been hit!"

The two teammates didn't seem concerned, knowing about his healing capabilities, but they realized that Ruby knew about it too. If she was alarmed, then something must have gone wrong. The team leader didn't get an answer as Demon and Perfect Soldier ran past her to the truck with a flat tire.

She followed the two to the truck, running past Jaune and Pyrrha. The medic inside was next to Invidia, but he wasn't doing anything. Ruby looked down at Invidia, the medic's military jacket covering the upper body of the Reaper.

Her silver eyes widened at the unbelievable sight. "I'm sorry, there was nothing I could do. He was shot three times, one through the spine and kidney, one through the heart, and one through the brain." The medic sympathized mournfully to them.

Ira went inside and threw the jacket aside. Invidia's face was peaceful, his eyes were closed, and dried blood stained his left cheek. Ira knelt down and picked up his body, ignoring the sympathetic gazes from the civilians inside. He carried the body in his arms away from the truck to the front of the convoy with Luxuria trailing. The King was inspecting the remaining forces when his crimson eyes spotted Ira and Luxuria.

He placed Reaper down on the ground, Luxuria kneeling on a small puddle of blood and placing his head on her lap. Ira stood to Reaper's left while Gilgamesh stood to Reaper's right. No one dared to approach them, interrupt them, or voice their condolences. Luxuria pressed a button on the helmet, making it collapse into the suit and show the wound. The right side of his head was drenched with blood, the black hair stained with the color red.

Ruby watched from afar, Yang, Blake, and Weiss joining her side. "Hey Rubes, what's…" Yang's voice trailed away as she saw what Ruby was gazing.

The winged Faunus brushed Reaper's hair, her eyes subtly glowing brighter and brighter from the golden cross in them. For once, Gilgamesh and Luxuria were devoid of emotion. The silver-eyed Huntress couldn't see Ira's face, but she assumed the same thing.

"Rose, Arc, lead the convoy ahead. Grimm will converge on this location soon. All Hunters and Huntresses will stay in the front. The defects will cover the rear." Gilgamesh commanded to the two.

Ruby responded quickly, but Jaune didn't. The young leader looked across the road and saw his face. His mouth was agape and his blue eyes were fearful at what he was staring. Ruby followed his gaze and found that Jaune was staring at Ira.

"Jaune, do you understand?" Gilgamesh swiveled his head, looking over his right shoulder to Jaune. He nodded and averted his eyes. His teammates were also staring at Ira, having the same emotions as Jaune.

The trucks drove around team ANJN who were in the middle of the road. The Cizinec defectors followed behind them, keeping a large distance between the Vale citizens and themselves. They would have preferred to be closer, but the defects knew that their presence will do more harm than good.

Ruby rode on top of the leading truck, her eyes zeroing onto Ira, Luxuria, Invidia, and Gilgamesh. Their figures got smaller and smaller as the convoy drove away to their destination, unknowing what will happen next.

* * *

**A/N: Well that happened****. From now on, all of my important, immediate updates will be found on the first chapter's Author's note. Since every update of the story, it starts on chapter 1, it'll be easy to find. Final's week is here, so wish me luck! Stay tuned, R&amp;R, and have fun!**


	16. Hunter Squad I

"Ozpin, go to bed. You're starting to irritate me now." Goodwitch stared at her close friend and leader of the Vale Army.

Once the civilian and training regiments departed, only a dozen students remained to help deal with Grimm. Normally this would be good since most of the negative emotions came from the innocent and the fearful students, but the Grimm attacks didn't dwindle at all. This meant that even the General of the Vale Army had to go to the frontlines to reduce the number of casualties caused by the Grimm's unrelenting assaults.

"Glynda, there is still light outside. I'll go to bed once it's dark" He retorted, neatly stacking papers on one side of his desk.

The professor sighed, opening the flaps of the tent. "It is dark, the light you see is from the moon. If you can't tell the difference, how will the soldiers follow you? For the love of Dust, stop working yourself ragged." She took his hand and forcibly lifted him off of the chair and dragged the headmaster outside.

Ozpin reluctantly let her do as she pleased. It was true that he was working harder than he ever did before, but he had a responsibility. They were nearing his tent when Glynda turned around and faced him. The two were near the same height, Glynda only being one inch shorter than the 6'6" general.

"I can't keep dragging you back here to your tent. If this war goes the way I expect it, then you'll know why I can't. We're the protectors of the world and we can't protect it if we don't have the energy. We'll deal with everything else in the morning." She walked past him and towards her own tent, leaving the scolded Ozpin to sigh and ponder.

"Take care of yourself Oz." Glynda muttered under her breath.

* * *

Low ranking commanders, experienced soldiers, and Hunters with a diversity in age, skill, and weaponry filled the war tent. Ozpin stood in the center, overlooking a holographic map of the walls of Vale. The only scout that they could send that wouldn't be killed was Oobleck, his speed much too quick for the Cizinec soldiers garrisoned in the towers. He reported that they already set up what appeared to be light artillery batteries on the towers along with futuristic, plasma-firing, MG nests.

Suffice to say, the area that is in range of those weapons were dangerous, the soldiers deeming it 'No man's land.'

Ozpin looked over the map multiple times and he couldn't find any way to attack the walls without losing more than a sixth of his forces. He looked up to Glynda, who was across from the table also trying to create a strategy.

"How many Aura-capable soldiers do we have?" He asked, zooming in on a section of the wall.

"We are capable of deploying thirteen Hunters, not including me, you, Bart, or Peter, and at least a brigade of Aura using soldiers. We also have twenty three students, but they are assigned to keep the Grimm away due to their resolve of not engaging in combat." Glynda responded, inspecting the section of the wall that appeared.

Ozpin pointed at the brown and orange spots on the physical map. "Here is our way in. There is a mountain right here that overlooks the wall and residential district. It's steep, but two squads can climb it unnoticed and jump onto this tower to infiltrate their defenses. It's dangerous but if the two squads can disable the artillery, it'll lessen the casualties immensely."

Colonel Mustang agreed, taking out his scroll to choose the best men for the job. "I'll prepare for the night assault and join the team."

"No, it'll be in the day." Ozpin interjected, gaining questionable looks from the officers. "I spoke with King Gilgamesh before he left and he stated that a nightly incursion would be a disadvantage to us. The Cizinec specifically place all their Faunus units on the walls at night, including the winged Faunus. A night assault will hinder us more so than a day assault."

The officers couldn't disagree, remembering the foolish attack on the Faunus at night during the Faunus Rights Revolution. "Yes, sir. We'll select our best men and report to you by 1600 hours."

The flaps of the tent flew open, making way for the Demon of the Cizinec Sovereignty to enter. The soldiers and Hunters made a path for him, averting their gaze from the enraged Ira. Ozpin stood straight when he approached the other end of the table. He didn't know why he would be here, not receiving any incoming messages of his arrival. The special communicators that Invidia made used a special radio frequency that made signal jamming and interference much harder for the Cizinec to achieve.

The appearance of Ira's eyes caught Ozpin's attention. His white sclera turned red, surrounding the dark violet iris and black pupils. He threw a sack on top of the holographic table, causing the map to distort and disappear. The sack bounced on the table, two round objects in the sack moving away from each other to stabilize their position. Red stained the brown color of the sack, giving the people a hint of what might be inside.

"What's the meaning of this, Demon?" Ozpin asked, staring at the Grimm-like eyes of Ira.

"Two companies managed to get through your lines unnoticed yesterday. They ambushed the convoy and killed Reaper." He explained, gaining shocking expressions from Ozpin, Glynda, and the commanders.

"After we've dealt with the companies, the commander informed me that he managed to persuade two individuals from Vale to let them pass in exchange for their safety in the upcoming victory." He continued, his gaze moving from Ozpin to the sack. "Vet your soldiers, General Ozpin. Don't let this happen again."

Ira turned around and left the tent. They were speechless, some staring at the door while others stared at the bloody sack on the table. Glynda opened the sack carefully, letting the commanders and Hunters see the identity of the traitors. One was a female with short, dark brown hair while the other was a bald male. Each of them had a clean cut right below their throat, dried blood around their lower face. One of the younger Hunters covered his mouth and left the tent to empty what little food was in his stomach.

"This meeting is over. Colonel, have your men report to me soon and deploy more soldiers on the perimeter. Otherwise, you are dismissed." Ozpin stated. Everyone left the war tent, leaving only Ozpin, Glynda, and the radiomen. Glynda used her riding crop and Dust to move the heads back into the sack.

"This isn't right. Even if they did betray us, the two deserved a fair trial." Glynda said, giving the sack to another soldier and ordering him to take a team to find the rest of their bodies. "You know I'm right, Ozpin."

Ozpin turned off the holographic table and rested his cane against it. "Yes, I do, but we can't do anything about it. We need to make sure that the King and his team stay as allies. There is a very low chance for them to turn on us due to their situation, but I still don't wish to risk it."

Glynda sighed and left the general to assemble the Hunter squad for the mission. It is the only viable plan the army could formulate in such a small time. They need to distract the Cizinec Sovereignty for three months, to allow their former students to gain the necessary skills to fight a war.

* * *

The blazing sun shined upon the twenty-four soldiers on the tall mountain. They hid behind rocks and trees, Glynda and Colonel Mustang using their binoculars to survey the section of the wall they would infiltrate. The former professor wore her normal white, long-sleeved suit and black business skirt, but she wore combat boots instead of her heels due to the terrain of the mountain. The eleven Hunters she led, including Oobleck and Port, wore what was comfortable for them while Mustang and his team wore camo uniforms and body armor.

The two nodded at each other before Mustang led his squad down the mountain and onto the roof of one of the towers. Two Sergeant Majors jumped into the tower and snapped the necks of the guards inside.

Glynda kept an eye on the neighboring towers' guards to see if the enemy has spotted them. One of them did notice Mustang's team, but was quickly taken out by a Huntress that used wind Dust to propel a bullet into his skull without using a noisy gun. Once the Colonel gave the signal, Glynda's squad of Hunters met up with Mustang in the tower.

"There are a lot more guards than planned, so be cautious." Mustang informed Glynda once her squad safely arrived. He turned to the two Sergeant majors, one carrying a sniper rifle and the other a suppressed SMG with subsonic ammunition. The Colonel instructed them to stay in the tower and prepare their exit strategy if things go wrong.

Glynda heeded his warning and led her squad west while Mustang headed east. Oobleck used his speed to enter the next tower where the wind bullet killed a soldier. The tower was clear and Glynda's team rushed across the open space, minding their surroundings and the sounds they were making.

"First artillery piece spotted." A Hunter reported quietly, looking out one of the windows of the towers. It was located behind the wall, resting on a large metal platform that the Cizinec made. The platform was just as high as the wall with a metal walkway that connected them both. The artillery itself was silver, the front base portion being shorter in width compared to the rear. A triangular, hovering gun piece was on top of it, the flat side of the triangle facing the forests. There were two sets of ammunition beside it, one having green labels while the other had multi-colored labels.

"Two MG nests spotted." Another Hunter a floor above reported, inspecting the area around it. The nests were diagonally left and right from the artillery piece, a large, thick piece of metal in front of the nest to give the gunners cover. A small monitor was on top of the gun itself that showed crosshairs pointing at the forests. From the forests point-of-view, they would only be able to see the gun barrel and the thick metal.

Glynda counted at least twenty armed soldiers, ten elites, and a few unarmed scientists or engineers. Ozpin entrusted the two teams to place explosives on the artillery without arousing suspicion and detonate them at a safe distance, but with the amount of armed men around, it's virtually impossible. It was in an open area too, allowing any sniper to have full line of sight at the Hunters if they engaged.

Using the special radio giving by Invidia, she contacted Colonel Mustang. "We have trouble on our end. There are too many people here for us to complete the mission stealthily."

"Same here, it seems we need a change of plans or we have to abort and return at another time." Mustang stated.

"I don't think we need to change plans. There is a way to destroy them without being seen." Oobleck interjected. Glynda nodded and allowed him to explain his plan. The green-haired Hunter pointed at the platform where the artillery was placed.

"Instead of the piece itself, we can place the explosives on the support beams under the platform. Destroy the right ones and let gravity do the rest." Oobleck explained, getting an approving nod from Glynda.

"Brilliant plan, Bart, brilliant!" Port praised him while Glynda relayed the plan to Mustang. After relaying the plan, she faced the same Huntress that took out the soldier using wind Dust and a bullet. She had dark blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and wore light-green armbands. She overheard the plan and nodded, already knowing what the squad leader had in mind.

The Huntress took two pounds of explosives inside Oobleck's backpack and made her way to the top of the tower. Glynda followed behind, leaving Port and Oobleck to survey the soldiers near the artillery. They found the dead soldier that the Huntress killed and they set him aside. "Be careful, but make it quick. General Ozpin is waiting for the explosions to begin the siege and he wants as much daylight as possible."

The dark blonde Huntress nodded and activated the wind Dust woven into her armbands. The two, one-pound explosives floated on her hands before slowly making its way over to the metal support beams. Sweat beaded on the Huntress' forehead as she focused on her attention on the explosives and the soldiers on the wall and platform. She let the explosives float downward the side of the tower that was inside the city. After being a few feet under floor level, it made its way to the support beams. After managing to attach the explosives to the right support beams undetected, she used the force of the wind to arm them to the detonator.

"Good work, Aria." Glynda turned to head back down before a loud, rattling sound followed by a thud struck her ears. The squad leader felt a warm liquid on the back of her neck when she turned around. Aria was on her side, blood leaking from where her right eye used to be.

Glynda froze for only a split second until she jumped down the floor hatch into the tower. Oobleck was next to her the second she land. "We need to leave now, we've managed to barricade the doors and short-circuit the wires so it won't open automatically, but it'll only buy time. Where's Aria?"

She shook her head and walked past him, her riding crop in hand. "I don't know what happened, but they know our location." She waved her riding crop, moving anything not completely nailed to the floor onto the barricaded door and windows. "I'm calling Mustang and aborting this mission. Peter, detonate our explosives. Hopefully, they will deal with the artillery rather than chase us."

Port nodded, pressing the button as the Hunter Squad evacuated the tower. A booming explosion echoed from the platform, followed by a series of smaller explosions from the ammunition on the platform. Goodwitch looked over her shoulder, staring at the top of the tower. She lowered her eyes and faced forward once again, regretting her decision to leave Aria's body behind. She tried to call Mustang, but only static met her ears.

"Bart, tell Mustang's soldiers in the tower that they have permission to open fire. After, run to Ozpin and tell him to not engage. Mission failed." Goodwitch ordered to Oobleck. He nodded and used his speed to sprint up the tower. The green-haired Hunter then used the exit plan and zip lined out of it, disappearing in a green blur as soon as he landed on the small mountain.

Peter pushed Glynda forward, making her stumble to the floor as a sniper shot passed them both. Glynda waved her crop while she was on the floor, creating a purple energy shield around the now ten Hunters. "Thank you, Peter."

"Nonsense, my dear, there's no need to thank me! Although, we should devise a plan for the situation we are in." Peter responded, helping Glynda up as Cizinec soldiers occupied the tower behind them. They stayed behind the cover, due to the two Sergeant Majors that occupied the tower in front of them.

Glynda looked up to the soldier holding the suppressed SMG. "We can't get in contact with the Colonel! We need to retreat before we're sandwiched here! What are your orders, Ma'am?" He screamed over the sounds of gunfire.

Once he finished the sentence, however, the squad's worst fear emerged from their cloaking devices. Winged Faunus floated above both towers, carrying assault rifles and various melee weapons. Each one of them wore infiltrator suits that accompanied to the needs of the Faunus, the nanofiber, composite, retractable armor covering their wings. The Cizinec symbol was on their chest and served as the visor for their masks much like the elites.

Their sudden appearance forced the two Sergeant Majors to dive into the tower, abandoning the zip line equipment for their escape. Although, it didn't matter if they were there since one of the winged Faunus quickly shot at the equipment, cutting the line to the mountain. Once the exit strategy was put out of commission, the Faunus and the Cizinec soldiers shot their weapons at the energy shield. The melee Faunus circled around the ten Hunters, waiting for the shield to collapse under the constant fire.

Small cracks began to form on the shield while the Hunters gathered towards the center, back to back with their weapons at hand. Glynda's green eyes darted back and forth from each crack on the shield to the enemies shooting at them. The two Sergeant Majors weren't able to provide suppressing fire either, being suppressed themselves by a few winged Faunus.

Glynda felt the fear creep up into her thoughts while she tried to formulate a plan out of this situation. She moved her gaze to her squad mates who were staring into the eyes of death. All of her plans would involve at least two sacrifices to save the rest and she didn't want that. Her mind raced for an answer she desired, only to create plans that were riskier than the last.

Her mind started to doubt her skills, hearing a quiet voice whispering to her. _Whom are you going to sacrifice…? Aria has a baby you know. Are they all going to die because of your failures?_

_Maybe you should take Peter's axe and end yourself now._

Glynda's mind stopped when a hand was placed on her shoulder, she turned around to find Port with his usual happy, go-lucky attitude and ridiculous mustache. "Don't worry, Glynda. We knew our time will come eventually. Now, leave those fears in the dust and share the plan with us." He grinned.

Goodwitch turned the other Hunters, who faced their squad leader with a heart of courage. She took a deep breath and nodded at Port. "Once the energy shield is down, we'll be fighting in open ground. I'll repair the zip line and provide energy shields for the zip liners, but we can't rush all at once with the threat of them just destroying the tower with all of us in it."

The ex-professor faced the nine Hunters as the shield grew weaker and weaker. Most of them were young with promising futures as Hunters and Huntresses. "Whoever has ice Dust, create some cover for those who will fight outside the tower. Whoever has wind Dust, force the winged Faunus away from the tower. Once you're on the other side of the wall, provide suppressing fire if possible."

Glynda faced the tower, ready to sprint in her unfashionable combat boots. "On the count of three, the youngest runs in first with me."

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

* * *

**A/N: Hello everyone, how are you all doing this fine day? ^.^ Subsonic ammunition is used in conjunction with suppressed weaponry to make as little noise as possible. Though its effective range is reduced to like at most twenty feet, which is acceptable in specialized situations. Hint for Ira's semblance, hehehehehe.**

**If you have any questions, feel free to ask! R&amp;R and have a great summer vacation!**


	17. Hunter Squad II

Ozpin stood in front of the Vale army in the forest right outside the area deemed 'No Man's Land.' It was an hour past noon, the trees blocking the sun above them. Idle chatter and strategizing could be heard from the soldiers behind him as he stood with both of his hands on his cane. He still wore his black suit over a black-buttoned vest and dark-green pants, electing to not wear the formal five-star general jacket given to him by Vale. His brown eyes watched the wall, Grimm of all types and sizes stalking the Cizinec soldiers above them.

"The Paladins are in position, sir. Orders?" An officer reported, saluting the general.

Ozpin turned his head, giving a nod to him. "Once I give the signal, let the Paladins rush up the same mountain used by our sabotage squads and land on the wall. Target all MG nests first."

The officer saluted once more before relaying the commands to the Atlesian Paladin drivers. The wind rustled the leaves above, the scene appearing as if there was no war at all. No upcoming battle to ruin the blissful scenery. Unfortunately, a single explosion interrupted nature's painting, black smoke rising from the center right portion of the wall. The idle chatter turned into rushed footsteps and soldiers flipping safety switches of the guns being flipped. Ozpin waited for the next set of explosions, but they never came, leaving the army confused on what to do.

A soldier brought the general binoculars at his request. At closer inspection, he found his closest associate and her squad under heavy fire from Cizinec soldiers and winged Faunus. He lowered the binoculars a second before Oobleck stopped beside the general, sweat dripping from his head.

"Bart, what happened?" He asked, letting his friend take a second to catch his breath.

He wiped the sweat using the sleeve of his long, brown great coat before explaining. "Do not engage, mission failed. They somehow spotted us after placing the first two explosives. They need an evac."

Oobleck extended his thermos, fire lighting at the nozzle entrance of the weapon. "Please hurry." He insisted before disappearing into a green blur once more to return to his squad. Ozpin turned to same officer he spoke to before.

"I want the Paladins on that mountain immediately. Engage any and all hostiles until the sabotage squads are safe." He commanded before turning to a group of soldiers. They surrounded a young Hunter, who graduated from Beacon Academy and was certified only a year ago. He had a light complexion and light brown hair with red eyes, his height and muscular appearance able to intimidate anyone.

Since the young Hunter had the least experience, he wasn't chosen to be a part of the operation along with three other Hunters and Huntresses. Instead, Ozpin placed him in charge of the rescue squad due to his unique semblance and choice of weapons.

"Sumerki, take your squad to the mountain and ensure that they come back here alive." Ozpin stated, glancing back at the wall where Glynda was.

"You got it, headmaster!" Sumerki replied, grabbing his two lavender, reinforced steel square shields resting beside him. On the shields were twin axes and two wreaths, the symbol for Vale.

He walked forward and faced his squad. "Alright, boys, let's move out!" He cheered ironically since every person on his squad was older, some being double the Hunter's age. The general noticed a glimpse of euphoria in the eyes of the rescue squad, ready to see some action.

"I'm just a fellow Hunter and your general, Sumerki. You don't need to call me headmaster anymore." Ozpin pointed out, letting the rescue team rush past him to save the sabotage squad. He ordered the restless troops to hold their positions before watching and waiting for the dire situation to unfold.

* * *

"Three!"

The purple energy shield collapsed under the hail of plasma. Glynda and a young Huntress rushed forward into the tower unscathed. The other Hunters avoided, deflected, or blocked with their armor and weapons while Glynda rushed up the tower to fix the zip line. She met the two veteran soldiers hiding behind the steel wall, not daring to lift their heads up to peak through the broken window in case of a sniper.

"What's the plan, Ma'am?" One of them asked, unscrewing the suppressor off the SMG. He lifted the SMG up to the window to blindly fire at the opposite tower across the wall.

Glynda looked up to the ceiling where the hatch that led to the upper most floor was. "I'm going to go up the hatch and fetch the zip line equipment. It'll be much safer to do it through the inside of the tower than up there. Keep trying to contact Colonel Mustang and let him know of the plan. If he's not here when our last man leaves, assume the worst."

The Sergeant majors nodded and continued what they were doing. Glynda open the hatch from a far using her riding crop, bullets raining down the moment it opened. She waited until the bullets stopped coming, allowing her to rush up the ladder and onto the top floor of the tower. Two winged Faunus, one reloading his assault rifle and the other carried two falchion swords, met the squad leader.

Glynda preemptively ducked down, predicting the x-slash from the falchions. Once she dodged the slash, she waved her riding crop and threw both winged Faunus at each other. Their heads collided, stunning them long enough for the squad leader to detach the metal hatch on the floor using her semblance. She threw the hatch at the stunned soldiers and knocked them off the tower.

The young Huntress grabbed the zip line equipment while Glynda looked over the edge to her fighting teammates. They seemed to be faring well against the Cizinec soldiers, but she noticed the accumulating cuts and bruises on their bodies. She waved her crop one last time, creating several purple, homing energy lasers, before jumping down into the tower. The lasers prioritized the winged Faunus, killing three of them while the others dove into the city. They weaved through the city streets, using the buildings to try and block the lasers.

Glynda waved her riding crop and fixed the zip line equipment. The Huntress placed a block of explosives on the wall that faced the mountain. It blew a hole in the tower and one of the Sergeant Majors started to set up the zip line equipment.

The squad leader inspected her Dust reserves, running to the first floor of the tower. "Tch…Peter, send in the next one!" She yelled, pointing her riding crop at the sky. Her Aura glowed around her for a brief second before her riding crop shot a purple laser into the sky. A circular, purple glyph appears above the wall, creating dark, thunderous clouds. The clouds started to surround the enemy tower before a loud thunder roared in their ears. Lightning struck the tower and the soldiers, throwing the winged Faunus in disarray.

Though, it wasn't enough. At this point, the Cizinec has managed to relocate their more veteran forces to their location. The elites jumped down from the enemy tower or rushed through the door, meeting the Hunter squad in open ground. Port pointed his blunderbuss-axe at the elites, only decimating the few brave soldiers that were behind them.

The eight Hunters and Huntresses engaged the dozen elites in close-quarters combat, the other soldiers providing support by suppressing Glynda, the two Sergeant Majors, and the young Huntress who zip lined across to the mountain. The winged Faunus also joined the fray, outnumbering them five to two.

Glynda watched from the doorway, the plasma ammunition clipping the edges of her cover. She verified the amount of Dust she had left and if she wished to shield her squad mates while zip lining, it wasn't much. Inside the pouch she brought were four Dust crystals and two powdered Dust vials. She could only use three Dust crystals in combat while the rest would be use for shielding.

A massive force of wind brought her attention away from the pouch and onto the battlefield. A small tornado made by one of the Hunters started to rip through the sky, forcing the flying winged Faunus to move away. To the Hunters and their opponents, though, it was a minor nuisance.

Port sidestepped a slash from a rifle with a bayonet and struck the winged Faunus in the back of her head with his fist. He then took his blunderbuss-axe and sliced an elite in her arm, digging the sharp blade deeper into the wound. She yelped in pain before Port kicked her away, forcibly ripping the axe out of her arm. The elite stumbled backwards and fell off the wall. The winged Faunus behind him followed her, jumping off and saving the elite.

The small tornado and lightning storm surrounding the skirmish dissipated, letting the sunlight shine back down onto their section of the wall. Glynda peeked out of the doorway once the suppressing fire slowed down, surveying the situation. An older Huntress rushed past her, carrying an injured Hunter on her back. There was a large gash on his chest, his clothes turning deeper and deeper shades of red.

"Glynda, get Ecru out of here now!" She set down Ecru next to the squad leader, placing her hands over his wound. Glynda kneeled down to Ecru, his face sweating and contorted from the pain. He placed a hand over the Huntress', giving her a faint smile.

"I'm alright, Celestia. Help the…rest of the squad." Ecru uttered.

Glynda placed hand on her shoulder and gave an assuring nod. "Go, I'll make sure he makes it."

Celestia bit her lower lip before letting Glynda's hands cover the wound. She rushed back out, entering the fight once again. The squad leader called for help to bring Ecru up to the zip line equipment. They carried him next to the large hole, the sniper Sergeant Major using the rest of his ammunition picking off winged Faunus flying past the zip line equipment.

"Ma'am, we still can't get in contact with Colonel Mustang. Allow us to find him and verify his situation." The sniper requested, reloading the last magazine for his sniper rifle.

The squad leader, however, denied him. "No, it's too dangerous. If he shows up, then we'll rescue him. Until then, assume the worst." Glynda began strapping the harness onto Ecru, hoping for Oobleck to return to take him back to base.

The SMG soldier glanced towards the direction of where Colonel Mustang's forces left before facing Glynda. "We aren't leaving our commander behind."

She sighed, trying to patch up the chest wound. "I respect your loyalty, but-"

Before she could finish, a booming noise overshadowed her voice. She rushed to the zip line equipment and a small smile dawned on her face. The squad leader saw Oobleck, wearing his explorer's hat, shooting fireballs at the enemy Cizinec soldiers. Behind him were numerous Atlesian Paladins, their weapons trained on any soldier wearing Cizinec armor.

They unleashed their weaponry at the enemy soldiers, cautiously avoiding the Hunters and Huntresses caught in the crossfire. The thunderous roar of missiles and cannon fire was moving in staccato, the sound reaching a deafening crescendo of explosions. The small smile of relief turned stiff and serious as she helped Ecru up and pushed him out of the tower, the zip line carrying him to the other side.

She motioned her hands to the two Sergeant Majors, signaling that they will prepare to leave. Glynda didn't wait for their reply and headed to the first floor, hoping that her squad has made it out of the line of sight. She peeked out the door and saw that they were still engaged in combat, though with the appearance of the Paladins, they appeared to have the advantage. Port bashed the flat side of the axe on one of the elites before they started to retreat away.

The Hunters did the same, helping each other limp away from the wall and into the tower. "The troubadours will sing about this battle for centuries!" Port exclaimed, helping Celestia walk with a broken leg and twisted ankle.

"Is Ecru okay?" She asked Glynda, more worried about him than herself.

"Bart has him, he'll bring him back to base camp." The Huntress assured, taking her other arm and bringing her to the zip line equipment. One by one, the Hunters strapped in and zip line across the mountain under cover from the Atlesian Paladins and Glynda's energy shields. They reached the other side, resting behind large rocks.

The two Sergeant Majors, however, didn't follow behind them. Glynda peeked over the rocks, searching for the soldiers. She noticed them still holding their ground in the tower, shooting at any enemy in their view. As much as she wanted to wait for the Colonel, the chances for him surviving were slim. The Cizinec were starting to reorganize themselves, the faint sounds of their Cizinec Tridents reaching their ears. The winged Faunus were also starting to flank the Paladins on the mountain, taking positions in their 12, 10, and 3 o'clock.

She took out her radio and contacted the two. "Get out of there this instant! You're going to get us killed!" Glynda watched them ignore their radios, continuing to unload whatever ammunition they had left.

"Fuck them, let's go before it's too late." One of the Hunters suggested, getting ready to sprint out and away from danger. Glynda abhorred the very idea of leaving them behind, but they were providing as much cover as they could for them and it wasn't going well. She gritted her teeth, ready to give the order when a towering flame erupted from the Colonel's last known location. A blazing fire engulfed the right section of the wall, incinerating any Cizinec soldier in its path before disappearing.

Colonel Mustang walked out of the flames, holding his right side and helping another injured soldier. The remnants of his squad were behind him, carrying their assault rifles or knives when they ran out of ammo. Glynda zeroed in the Colonel and commanded the Paladins to cover them until they reached their position.

"Someone called for a rescue?" Sumerki smirked, dashing next to Glynda with his two square shields. The rescue squad sprinted behind the rocks, laying down suppressing fire at the winged Faunus in their flanks.

The ex-professor rolled her eyes but nodded. "I see you haven't changed, Mr. Z."

"It's only been a year, you know. What's the situation?" He spied from the rocks, bullets whizzing past his head.

Glynda told him about the Colonel and explained what he needed to do. Sumerki understood and left the cover, drawing the enemies' attention towards him. The tall, young man zoomed away from his squad, making sure they were facing away from the Colonel while he reached the tower and zip lined to the mountain.

He used his shields to cover the shots he couldn't dodge before grinding to a halt. The two lavender square shields extended themselves in every direction, changing into bulky tower shields. Sumerki impaled the shields onto the rocky mountain, forming a small steel wall just tall enough to cover the top of his head.

Glynda knew what his plan was and she opposed it, but they had no choice. His Aura started to glow twilight blue behind his shields before discharging itself forwards towards the wall. The Aura fazed through the soldiers, ceasing all fire from them for a split-second before resuming. This time, however, the majority of the Cizinec forces focused their weapons on Sumerki behind his shield. The Paladins and Vale soldiers questioned why in their minds, but didn't complain.

The ex-professor's eyes glanced over the rock to find the Colonel in the tower, strapping one of the injured squad members into the harness. She couldn't shield him, having no more Dust left in her pouch, but it didn't matter. The Cizinec's attention was now focused only on two things, the Atlesian Paladins and Sumerki. The blonde squad leader observed the squad leave the tower one by one, Mustang being the last one to leave. Glynda took his arm over her shoulder, resting his body behind cover.

"I'm sorry. I've failed…" He uttered before coughing up blood. Glynda looked down to his side, blood profusely pouring out of a deep stab wound that pierced right through him.

She waved to one of the Paladin Pilots and flagged him down to her position. The pilot positioned the Paladin so he wouldn't be hit once he opened the cockpit. "Provide suppressing fire for sixty seconds and then fall back." Glynda commanded, taking the Colonel's arm over her shoulder once again.

The Pilot nodded and relayed the order to the rest of the Paladins. They started to unleash everything they had at the enemy, the towers starting to fall apart. The Cizinec did the same, manning the MG nests and pelting Vale's forces in a rain of plasma. Glynda lifted the Colonel off his feet and ran out of cover, signaling the rest of the survivors to follow.

The rescue squad carried the injured soldiers and Hunters on their backs, sprinting off the steep mountain as fast as they could. Glynda turned her head to Sumerki, hiding behind his shields to avoid certain death.

"Stop your semblance, let's go!" She called out.

Sumerki flashed her a look of exhaustion and relief. He got on his knees and readied himself to pick up his shields. Glynda turned away, going as fast as she could down the steep mountain with the injured Colonel and counting how long they had until the Paladins retreated.

_Forty-seven…forty-eight…forty-nine…fif-_

"Professor Goodwitch!" Sumerki dove on top of the two, knocking them both down. His tower shields covered both Glynda and Mustang's sides while his body protected them from the top. Glynda witnessed her former student's face cringe from the excruciating pain when the missiles and artillery shells fell from the sky. Her eyes snapped shut, unable to watch him suffer for her sake.

The earth rumbled violently beneath the squad leader, a series of ear shattering explosions disorientating her. A plasma artillery shell landed a few meters away from them, rag dolling the three off the mountain. Her Aura barely held, keeping her from gaining serious damage as she collided with falling rocks mid-descent. Glynda's body crashed down onto the dirt, her head smashing against a tree and rendering her incapacitated.

* * *

Glynda eyelids slowly fluttered open, her body shivering from a small draft in the room. She felt a slight, agonizing pain from her head and noticed that there was a needle in her left arm. The blonde Huntress couldn't see anything from darkness, her hands feeling bandages wrapped around her head.

She felt a hand on her shoulder the moment she tried to sit up. "Easy, easy, I'm glad you're awake but you need to rest."

Glynda's head swiveled to the voice, a small smile dawning on her face. She could feel her hair not bundled up in a bun as she laid back down on her pillow. "Do you mind if you can turn on the lights, Ozpin? It's really dark." She requested, trying to find her glasses.

The blonde Huntress noticed his silence and faced him once more. "Ozpin…?" She asked anxiously. He, again, didn't respond immediately, making her feel even more nervous.

"I'm sorry…The doctors said that you have severe nerve damage. They managed to repair some of them so you can still walk…but they couldn't do anything about the nerves near your eyes." Ozpin explained to her sadly.

Her body froze, registering the implications of what Ozpin said. Glynda's green eyes scanned the darkness, trying to find something to counteract his statement. She tried to remember everything that happened during the mission.

Glynda felt two hands wrap around hers, holding them tightly but delicately. She stopped panicking and closed her eyes. "…Is it permanent?" She muttered.

"No, if it wasn't for your Aura than it would've been much worse. The doctors estimate it might take around two months for it to fully recover." The general assured.

The blonde Huntress squeezed his hands and grits her teeth. Her long, blonde hair covered the side of her face, hiding the fear she pushed down during the sabotage mission. Glynda lifted her head, realizing one crucial part of her survival. "What happened to Sumerki?"

* * *

**A/N: Hellooooooo! Here is the second part of Hunter Squad! Glynda's semblance is telekinesis, I looked it up on the RWBY wiki, found in the semblance page. I took the homing lasers from the first episode from season one with that awesome fight scene between her and you know who. Enjoy the next two weeks!**


	18. Training Camp I

"Find anything!?" Yang called out to Pyrrha, Ember Celica ready to unleash itself on the enemy. The red-haired Huntress jumped down from the treetops above her four-man team and landed in front of Ren.

"No Grimm in sight. I believe we are in the clear." She responded, sheathing her weapon and shield. Ren did the same with his StormFlower and wiped the sweat off his forehead, the sun gleaming through the forest.

"I suggest we take a break before circling back." Ren suggested. The team made of Pyrrha, Ren, Yang, and Ruby agreed, the four settling themselves under the shade of a tree. They each sat on a side of a tree trunk and admired the calm, serene surroundings. A bird swooped down in front of Ren, its beak diving down to eat some seeds or worms hidden in the tall, unkempt grass.

Ruby held Crescent Rose in its inactive form, her eyes blankly staring at the foliage in front of her. Only the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the occasional quiet, distant shots from other patrolling Hunters could be heard. Pyrrha closed her eyes, relaxing her mind and ignoring all outside disturbances. Yang kept her lilac eyes on Ruby, worried about her little sister.

The civilian convoy arrived at the coordinates given to them by General Ozpin the night of the ambush, the atmosphere heavy for anyone to feel safe, protected, or relieved. The camp was located in the thick forest on top of a hill with only one known entrance for armored vehicles. The defected Cizinec soldiers decided to camp out at the foot of the hill in front of the entrance while the civilians set themselves up on the hill. The next day, Luxuria selected a few Hunters and Huntresses to go on patrol to hunt any Grimm. Throughout the whole ordeal, though, Ruby kept silent and to herself.

Yang slid herself closer to Ruby, hoping to subtlety find out what's been bothering her. "Hey, Rubes, want to find some cat nip to tease Blake with?" She grinned.

The young Huntress, though, shook her head 'no' and tightened her grip on her Sniper-Scythe. Her silver eyes didn't even glance to her sister. The blonde frowned, sliding herself in front of Ruby. "Please, Rubes, talk to me. You haven't been yourself since Invidia…" Her voice trailed away, knowing Ruby knew what she meant.

"I'm fine, Yang." Ruby responded, closing her eyes and lowering her head.

Ruby's reply lit an inner fire inside of the blonde, her hands gripping her dirty clothes. "No, you're not. It's clearly obvious that something is wrong!" Yang shouted unexpectedly, making the birds fly away and drawing attention from their friends.

Pyrrha peeked out from her side of the tree, an awkward smile on her face. "Wh-Why don't we head back to the camp? I'm sure the Cizinec defects will handle any Grimm we missed, r-right Ren?"

The magenta-eyed Hunter showed himself on his side of the tree and nodded. Ruby tensed up at the word, Cizinec, gaining a suspicious look from the blonde brawler. To avoid another question, she stood up and extended Crescent Rose in its scythe form, cautiously making her way towards the camp.

Pyrrha and Ren followed behind her, their weapons ready to fight if necessary. Yang, however, stayed sitting down for a few seconds. She stared at Ruby, even more concerned than before. Her blonde hair covered her eyes as she lowered her head, feeling useless. Fear crept up behind Yang, her thoughts revolving around Iris.

"Yang, you okay?" Pyrrha shouted a few meters away.

The blonde took a deep breath before jumping up. "I'm coming!"

* * *

The King sat on his throne wearing his beige tunic, Luxuria on his right and the Signifier, equivalent to a Captain rank, of the Cizinec defects on his left. He wore an elite infiltrator suit with a teal visor, his helmet collapsed into his suit. On his shoulders was the symbol of his rank, two chevrons pointing downwards with a rectangle on each side of the chevrons. The rectangles were cut diagonally at the ends, making the second pair of rectangles smaller than the first. Above the chevrons was another uncut rectangle and below was a miniature symbol of the Cizinec Sovereignty.

"One-hundred seventy-two thousand and eight-hundred troops, huh?" Gilgamesh smirked, facing the Signifier. The Cizinec warriors and king spoke to each other in their language, inadvertently preventing eavesdroppers.

"Yes, your highness. The traitor, Vitium, has deployed both the active and reserve armies to the four kingdoms. Only the 41st Elite Division led by Primarch Nailah stayed behind for defense." He reached into the back pouch of his suit and took out a thick, purple disk with the Cizinec symbol on it. The disk opened up and began projecting a holographic map of Remnant.

"The 327th Star Division in Mistral, three Sector Marine Brigades in Vacuo, and the 442nd Siege Division in Vale; all of them led by renown Primarchs." The Signifier reported, pointing at each kingdom. "The problem, however, is this."

He moved his hand over to the kingdom of Atlas, a small textbox appearing over its location. Luxuria looked up from Invidia's scroll and stared at the projection. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly. She blinked a few times, carefully reading the strange letters of their language again and again to make sure.

"The 7th Sky Corps…" She muttered under her breath. Luxuria averted her eyes and lowered her head to hide her face. The Signifier held the projector disk in front of him, changing the image to the current leader of the Sky Corps.

The hologram displayed a six-foot soldier wearing thick, red, paladin-like armor with a golden trim. His right arm extended slightly outwards, holding downwards a dark grey longsword with a dark gold handle. The leader had green eyes and short, dark blue hair. He looked young, handsome, and at first glance, presumed to be a man of honor.

"After the insurrection, Primarch Zelgius was promoted to rank Paragon. His first order as Paragon was to make himself the commander of the Perfect Soldier's legendary 7th Sky Corps." The Signifier explained before hearing a loud thud to his left. Out of reflex, he drew his plasma pistol and pointed it at the sound's direction.

What he found was Luxuria, her wings expanded outwards and brightly glowing crosses in her eyes. Her wings knocked down the chairs beside her, extending to triple her height. The floating halo above her head spun furiously and its small symbols changed rapidly from one to another. Though, that wasn't what scared the Signifier of the Cizinec defects. It was Luxuria's dark smile that was plastered on her face.

"Zelgius, that ignorant half-breed, has no right to bear my rank or command my soldiers. I'll use his entrails to decorate his mutilated corpse if we ever meet on the battlefield." Luxuria assured with a sinister and threatening tone. Her glowing eyes looked into the Signifier's black ones. "What's your name, Signifier?"

He lowered his weapon and sheathed it, not breaking eye contact with the Perfect Soldier. The Signifier acknowledged his fear, his body failing to conceal it. "Ken, Ma'am. Ken Pardus."

The winged Faunus gave him an ominous grin before returning to the scroll in front her. Ken turned off the projector disk and returned it to his pocket. "I-If you excuse me, I must return to my duties."

Gilgamesh nodded and waved him off. The Signifier left, leaving the couple alone in the quiet tent. They sat silently for a few minutes, a small breeze entering through the flaps of their large tent.

"Have you hacked into Reaper's Scroll yet?" Gilgamesh asked.

* * *

"We're back!" Yang called, strolling past the entrance. She sat down across from Blake and leaned back, resting her legs on top of the table.

"How was the patrol?" Blake asked, looking up from the military book she was reading. Ruby entered the tent a few moments later and setting her beloved weapon next to her wooden chest before laying down on her sleeping bag.

Yang's lilac eyes locked onto Ruby when she entered before turning back to Blake. "I only found two baby Ursai, which Pyrrha took it upon herself to steal my kills." She pouted, leaning her chair back further but still managing to keep balance. "Where's Weiss?"

The blonde saw a glimpse of uncontrollable happiness from Blake before she returned to her stoic self. The cat Faunus made a small smile, though, and closed her book. "Good news. After we arrived last night, one of the Cizinec defects took some spare parts and tents to make a shower. The water is coming from an underground reservoir a mile from here. Cardin stopped by and told us about it before heading there himself."

Yang quickly darted her eyes to Ruby once Blake mentioned the words 'Cizinec,' searching for the reaction she was expecting from her little sister. On cue, the team leader's muscles tensed up slightly before turning to her side, facing away from Yang and Blake. The older sister bit the inside of her lower lip before returning her attention to her partner, who seemed to either not notice or just ignored it.

"Cardin? That's nice of him. I guess that's where our heiress is." The blonde turned to Ruby, putting her legs down and leaning forward to a normal sitting position. "Rubes, let's go in a few." Ruby glanced over her shoulder and nodded before silently facing away from them again.

The blonde lowered her head and turned back to Blake, avoiding eye contact. The cat Faunus placed her hand over Yang's, flashing her an assuring smile. "It's okay, Yang. Ruby just needs time to herself. She's too innocent and young to recover this quickly." She whispered, keeping the conversation to themselves.

"All you can do is be there when she needs you." Blake advised.

Yang glanced up and gripped Blake's hand tight. "I know. I just…I can't be useless anymore." She mumbled, remembering her friend Iris.

"You're not useless. You've helped me during the White Fang scare and I'm sure you've helped Ruby when her mother died" She comforted her.

Before Blake could continue to console Yang any further, Nora jumped into the tent with a huge grin on her face. "Helloooooooo!" She cheered in a high-pitch voice, startling everyone in the room.

"I have come to deliver some news!" Nora announced, Ruby sitting up and facing the hyperactive JNPR member. "By decree of the King himself, we must gather inside the Great Hall at once!"

Nora stood there with her big, goofy, innocent smile as Yang, Blake, and Ruby turned to each other in confusion, trying to decipher what Nora just told them. Ren entered the tent, his clothes completely fresh and clean. There was a small stitch where the bullet hole used to be, a black string popping out of his green tailcoat. "Gilgamesh wants us to go to the dining area as soon as possible." He translated, taking his girlfriend's hand into his own.

Yang and Blake did a simultaneous "Ooooooohhhhh." Nora pouted at her friends for not understanding her funny style of speaking. The three Huntresses of RWBY exited the tent with Ren and Nora, meeting the other half of JNPR outside. The group of friends strolled towards the dining area, filled with foldable chairs and tables. Ruby trailed behind the pack, making Yang peek over her shoulder to her every ten seconds.

Once they reached the area, the group saw a lot of former students of Beacon and a bunch of civilians ranging from very young teenagers to one-more-day-until-retirement adults. Weiss waved at them near the center, sitting back on a chair. There was small grin on her face, her friends inferring that it was probably because she finally took a shower and cleaned her clothes, which was now blood and dirt-stain free.

"Do you know why they called us here?" Jaune asked Weiss, sitting to her left while Ruby sat to her right.

"Lux-, I mean the Perfect Soldier told me they are going to assign each of us training regiments." Weiss answered, remembering to not mention their real names in public.

The heiress then faced her silent teammate, putting her hand on Ruby's shoulder. She, too, noticed her partner's silence since the ambush yesterday. Weiss was concerned about her because Ruby was never this silent. Even around the time of the anniversary of her mother's death. The heiress always wished for their leader to be quieter, but not like this. She was too used to this kind of silence in her mansion in Atlas and she hated it.

Ruby faced her partner and addressed her worried look with a small smile. Weiss was ready to scold her since she was acting like Blake during the White Fang events, but didn't. The heiress just returned the smile, hoping that Ruby would tell her in her own time.

After a while, Luxuria arrived at the area, silencing the chatting crowd. She walked past the staring civilians, the angel-like Faunus winking at RWBY and JNPR before clearing her throat.

"In light of what happened yesterday, we will still continue the agenda we sought out to achieve. You all will undergo basic military training led by multiple Cizinec officers, Demon, and myself, the Perfect Soldier." Luxuria announced, everyone's attention solely focused on her. She lifted up Invidia's Scroll in her hand and opened up a long document.

"Reaper has provided training schedules for each Hunter and Huntress. Along with the schedules, you will be given one of two positions based on your strengths and weaknesses. You will be placed either in the Close Combat category or in the Long Range category. The category you are placed in determines the focus of your training. All volunteers will meet with me afterwards to discuss and test your skills to determine your training schedule as well."

"After basic training, you will have an option to specialize into certain positions that will coincide with your status of Hunter or Huntress; such as engineer, combat medic, tank personnel, etc. Basic training should only take a month with Hunters, civilians would take approximately 10-12 weeks. Overall, we should be finished in three months to be effective in the war." Luxuria proclaimed.

The winged Faunus scrolled down the document and began reading the names of various Hunters and Huntresses, naming their recommended positions. "Cardin Winchester, Close Combat. Lie Ren, Close Combat. Weiss Schnee, Long Range. Blake Belladonna, Close Combat."

Luxuria continued down the list, placing Ruby and Pyrrha in Long Range and Yang, Nora, and Jaune in Close Combat. "One last thing, as you may have noticed, your Scrolls still have five bars of signal even though we are this far out from the city."

Both teams inspected their Scrolls, verifying that they have full bars. "Do not use these Scrolls to communicate with anyone. The enemy is increasing the range of the towers in Vale to give you hope and contact your friends, in which they will track your signal and capture you. In no circumstance will you use these Scrolls for messaging or calling anyone." Luxuria sternly ordered.

"Training starts tomorrow afternoon. Long Range combatants will be under my command while Close Combat combatants will be under Demon's command. I will take up any questions or concerns you may have. Other than that, Hunters and Huntresses are dismissed."

The small crowd started to thin out, Luxuria leaving the stage and making small talk with RWBY and JNPR before addressing the volunteer fighters. "Weiss, Ruby, Pyrrha, don't be late tomorrow." She grinned. "Same goes for everyone else. I'm sure Demon won't be happy if you guys are late."

Luxuria winked at Ruby, giving her an alluring smile before walking away to attend to the civilians. She didn't forget about the offer she gave her in Beacon and she knew Ruby didn't by the small blush she returned. Yang, though, furrowed her eyebrows at the winged Faunus and crossed her arms.

However, Blake wasn't in a joking mood. "…I don't get it." She uttered.

"Don't get what?" Jaune asked, the groups attention turning to Blake.

"I don't get how she could smile at a time like this. Reaper was killed yesterday and she doesn't seem fazed in the slightest." Blake noted, her amber eyes staring at Luxuria as she dealt with the civilians.

Ruby, for the first time, spoke up to the group. Her silver eyes were also staring at the winged Faunus, her blank stare finding a purpose. "She's coping." The Huntress commented. "She lost one of her best friends and I know she wants revenge….I do too."

Yang took a few steps towards her, witnessing her little sister slowly change from an innocent eighteen-year-old Huntress-in-training into a revenge-seeking soldier. "Ruby…"

"Excuse me." She muttered, before covering her head with her red hood. Ruby started to walk away from her friends when Yang grabbed her arm and stopped her. She couldn't accept what was happening to Ruby.

"I don't want you fighting, Rubes. Don't go to training tomorrow." Yang insisted, bracing herself for Ruby's impending wrath. Before the two could break into an argument, Pyrrha stepped in. "Uh, guys, I know it's not my place to interfere, but now isn't a good time."

Ruby turned around and faced Yang, her silver eyes glaring at her lilac ones. "You're right Pyrrha…it's not your _or_ Yang's place to interfere." She ripped her arm away from Yang's grasp, not breaking her glare.

"My best friends are dead, my underlings are dead, and Invidia sacrificed his life to save me…and you want me not to fight the ones who killed them!?" Ruby screamed uncharacteristically, gaining the attention of the civilians around them, including Luxuria.

Yang was taken aback by her outburst. She broke their stare, averting her eyes away from Ruby. "I know it's asking a lot…but I'm worried about you! I don't want you ending up like your friends!" Yang took her hand and rubbed her elbow, still unable to look at her younger sister. "…or like mom…and dad." She muttered.

Ruby, though, caught what she said. Her eyes widened before her face turned red, the Rose's thorns ready to show itself. She clenched her hands and jaw tightly, more furious than ever before. "Dad is not dead…he isn't dead!" Ruby shrieked. "I can't believe you!"

The blonde Huntress lowered her head, feeling guilty for what she said. Deep down, however, she knew she was right. It's been three days and three nights since the invasion and they haven't heard about anyone coming from the small island of Patch. No civilians from Patch, no Signal students from Patch, and no Signal professors from Patch.

Yang kept silent, making Ruby even more enraged. Weiss, though, interrupted them before they could attract even more unwanted attention. The heiress stepped in between them, her hands on her hips, furrowing her eyebrows at both sisters.

"That's enough you two!" She scolded. "Yang, she's eighteen years old. We all know she can handle herself in a fight." Weiss then turned to Ruby, her hood casting a shadow over her face. "And you, we agreed to talk to each other whenever we have any problems. It was your rule to begin with. Now, as a team, we are going back to our tents and discuss this like actual adults."

Weiss grabbed Yang's arm and Ruby's cloak by the hood, dragging them away from the staring civilians and towards their tent. Yang walked beside Weiss while Ruby had her arms crossed, letting her feet be dragged across the dirt. Blake and team JNPR followed behind them, unsure on how to feel about the sisters' confrontation.

Jaune glanced at Pyrrha and Nora glanced at Ren, having the same thoughts as Yang. Both carried the identical apprehensive stare on their face.

_Is she right?_

* * *

**A/N: If you didn't notice, this chapter takes place before the Hunter Squad Chapters. So the first day of training, which is tomorrow in the chapter, coincides with Glynda and her squads fighting on the wall. Also, there are a lot of references this chapter! ;) Let's see who gets them all!**

**The shower thing may be a bit BS, but I wrote myself to a corner on that one XD. I do have specific numbers for the armies for each side and how big each company/division/corps is. I won't post it here because it's too long of a list. R&amp;R and have fun!**


	19. Training Camp II

JNPR waved goodbye to team RWBY as Weiss dragged the two sisters inside. They entered their own tent, Ren and Nora deciding to play a small game with each other to pass the time. The two borrowed their teammates' shields while Jaune sat across from Pyrrha, deep in thought.

"Pyrrha…do you think Yang is right?" Jaune asked, hearing Nora snicker in the background.

The red-haired Huntress picked up Miló and a box filled with supplies to sharpen her weapon, borrowed from Luxuria after returning from the patrol. "I can't say, I'm an only child so I could never understand what Yang feels about this." She answered, taking out a metal file and beginning to sharpen her signature weapon.

"HI-YAH!" Nora exclaimed, smashing her fist down on Jaune's shield. A loud bang immediately followed, Ren holding the shield and grinning behind it. The sound startled Pyrrha, causing her to drop the filer. She gripped Miló tightly and closely, eyes rapidly darting to her friends.

"Try to keep it down please." Pyrrha requested, putting a small but anxious smile.

"I-I see…" Jaune uttered, his blue eyes glancing towards the couple across the room.

"Jaune…you think Yang is right, don't you?" Pyrrha assumed, picking up the filer off the ground.

The blonde boy nodded slowly, averting his eyes. "…and you don't want me fighting either." She predicted, Jaune also nodding as his response.

**BANG**. Jaune turned to witness Ren karate chop Pyrrha's shield now, Nora giggling behind it with her tongue out. "You're too slow!" She mocked, putting the shield down in front of her to do another round of their crazy adaptation of rock, paper, scissors.

Pyrrha, again, let go of the filer and instinctively changed her weapon's form from sword to rifle. Ren observed her, recognizing the face she displayed as she held her rifle. He softly elbowed his girlfriend, drawing Nora's attention.

"Nora, please try to be quiet. I'm trying to concentrate." Pyrrha requested once more, her voice agitated and new to JNPR's ears.

Jaune witnessed his girlfriend's reaction and shifted in his seat, feeling uneasy. He didn't want to show it, but he feared for Pyrrha. The blonde knew Yang had a good reason about why she didn't want Ruby to fight and he completely agrees if it came to his girlfriend. Jaune knows that Pyrrha is the strongest warrior in Beacon Academy, maybe even in Hunter and Huntress history, but it didn't quell the nightmarish thoughts about her fighting. The very idea of Pyrrha being assigned on a mission and never coming back mortifies him.

The orange-haired Valkyrie covered her mouth, feeling slightly guilty. "Oops, sorrrryyyy." She apologized quietly, before returning to their game. Pyrrha sat back down, switching Miló back to a sword form, and starting to apply a thin layer of oil on the whetstone the sharpening kit possessed.

Jaune swallowed, unsure if he should continue the conversation. "Pyrrha, I know you are strong. I've trained with you for the past three years, but I can't help worrying." He admitted.

Pyrrha peered up, giving him a somewhat assuring smile. "It's okay, Jaune. I appreciate your concern, but I'm more worried about you. You've grown in the past three years, even earning an amazing reputation with the rest of us when you started as the worst person in Beacon."

Jaune chuckled. "Thanks Pyrrha." He joked, rolling his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that!" Pyrrha apologized quickly. She paused for a good second, pondering about her next set of words. "I love you, Jaune, but it's not that simple. I'm a Nikos. I'm the next head of the family, a family of warriors, Hunters, and soldiers. I'm obligated to do what is expected of me. Right now, it's to fight in the war."

The blonde flashed her a disapproving look. "You're not obligated to do anything. No one should force themselves to do anything they don't want to do." Jaune stated, recalling a certain heiress and her lifestyle.

"You're sweet but-"

**CLAAAAANG.** Jaune jumped up from the sudden sound of clashing metal. His head swiveled to the other side of the tent, Nora frantically trying to pick up the shields she dropped. Ren picked up Pyrrha's shield, shaking his head and glancing at his red-haired friend. All three of their eyes widened at the next few words Pyrrha spoke.

"NORA, I SAID SHUT UP!" Pyrrha screamed, standing up and wielding Miló. Seconds later, her eyes widened as well. The tall Huntress covered her mouth and slowly stepped back. "I-I'm…so sorry." Pyrrha set down her weapon on the table and ran out the tent as fast as she could.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune stood up, knocking his chair back, and chased after her.

Nora's shoulders drooped down, her mind concluding to one single thought. _So you have it too…_

* * *

Pyrrha rushed past the flaps of the tent and into the sunlight. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she dashed past the wandering civilians. She didn't know where she was going or what she will do, but she just needed to leave.

**CLANK, CLANK, CLANK.** The frantic Huntress covered her ears, running past a blacksmith area tasked to repair weapons damaged by the Cizinec's plasma. Her mind was in a frenzy, unable to understand why this is happening. Every time she hears a loud noise, her thoughts would fall in disarray and the Huntress abhorred it. Pyrrha ran down the hill and past the Cizinec defect checkpoint, hearing a muffled cry of her name behind her.

The Signifier, Ken Pardus, watched the Huntress run past the checkpoint guards unarmed and with no escort. The soldiers had no idea what to do, witnessing her run into the forest with her hands over her ears, until a certain blonde Hunter stopped in front of him.

"Pyrrha, wait!" Jaune shouted, catching his breath for a few seconds.

Jaune quickly sprinted forward and jumped into the forest, following Pyrrha's trail. "You two, follow them." Ken ordered the two elites. They took their weapons and cloaked themselves, the sound of their footsteps notifying their commanding officer that they are in pursuit.

Pyrrha sprinted and maneuvered through the thick foliage until she found the same tree her four-Hunter patrol rested. Like a small child, she sat under its shade and closed her eyes, trying to recollect her thoughts.

The red-haired Huntress uncovered her ears, praying that she wouldn't hear any more startling noises. Luckily, only the same rustling of leaves and chirping of birds were present. "I have to apologize to Nora…" She muttered to herself.

Pyrrha hugged her legs, attempting to utilize the tranquil sounds of the forest to calm her shambled mind. She had a lingering suspicion on why this was happening, but she couldn't accept it. She didn't want to believe it.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune called out, the blonde stumbling out of a large bush with vines wrapped around his head and body.

The Huntress got the urge to grab her weapons, unaware that it was her lovable boyfriend, until she remembered that they were back at their tent. "Jaune…?" Pyrrha got up from her position and went next to Jaune, helping him untangle himself from the vines.

Once she set him free, Jaune took her hand and gave Pyrrha an innocent smile. "Thanks…" He patted the dirt in front of him, allowing Pyrrha to take a seat so they could talk. "Pyrrha…I know you have to fight, but I don't think you should. You-"

"You don't understand, Jaune." She interjected. "You'll never understand. People like Weiss and I have obligations to be fulfilled. This is one of them. I know what you're thinking…and it doesn't matter." Pyrrha squeezed his hands, staring straight into his eyes. "Like Ruby, I have to train and do what is expected of us Hunters."

"And like Ruby, you have PTSD!" Jaune claimed, his voice raised and scaring away any small critters. "Ever since we've arrived, you've been secluding yourself in our tent and covering your ears whenever we weren't looking. I hate seeing you like that."

Pyrrha cringed at hearing the word. It was possibly the worst thing to have when you are part of a family like the Nikos. She's seen it before with some of her relatives when they would come back from missions outside the walls. It wasn't a pretty sight to say the least.

"I'm sorry, Jaune. I really am, but you heard Invidia. Yang and I are the only ones who stand a chance on the battlefield at our current state. Dropping out now won't help anyone." Pyrrha stated, trying to convince her boyfriend that she is okay.

She pecked his cheek and stood up. "Let's go before any Grimm show up."

The red-haired Huntress started to walk away, only to find that Jaune hasn't moved from his spot. She hesitated to turn around, predicting his next words. Pyrrha glanced over her shoulder, her partner clutching her hand tightly.

Jaune finally stood up, his face showing regret for the next words to come out of his mouth. "Pyrrha…I'm sorry, but I have to do this for your sake."

"Jaune, please, don't." Pyrrha pleaded, speaking over his voice.

"As leader of team JNPR, I order you to stand down and see a psychologist at the medical tents." Jaune continued, mentally preparing himself for what comes next. Pyrrha stood there, motionless and speechless. Her mouth was agape, Jaune's beautiful blue eyes that she fell in love with begging for compliance.

In her mental state, compliance was the farthest thing she would do next. Pyrrha ripped her hand out of his, her vivid-green eyes glaring up at his, being only one inch taller. "Are you fucking kidding me!?" She cursed loudly.

Jaune froze, thinking that his ears betrayed him. "Why are you unable to trust me!? " Pyrrha continued, her voice echoing outwards.

The blonde couldn't give her an answer, her outburst shocking him silent. Jaune's known Pyrrha for over three years now and he hasn't seen her this furious since the summer in-between their second and third year at Beacon. The blonde Hunter truly had to keep Pyrrha calm to explain that he hung out with one of his sisters instead of an actual date, especially when that particular sibling loved doing pranks.

The redhead didn't wait for a response to finish her protest. "You know, Jaune, I've stood by your side since the beginning. Even when I disapproved of your decisions and even when you lied to me about how you really got into Beacon. It hurt, but I wasn't completely against you!"

"I don't want you to die!" He blurted out, grabbing her shoulders. "I'm selfish okay? When this whole thing started, I thought that this was my chance to show that I wasn't worthless. I didn't want to be some lucky guy whose dead weight is being carried by his 'Invincible Girlfriend.'"

"I realize that I got stronger, but it still wasn't enough. I wanted us to go into this, kick some butt, and come out as heroes, just like my great-great-grandfather and his friends. But when I saw the aftermath of the ambush, it dawned on me that this wasn't a fairy tale. That not every hero lives to see the end" Jaune admitted quietly.

Before he could continue, a large shadow casted over them and a loud screech filled the air. Jaune looked up before Pyrrha pushed him away, her left arm bracer surrounded in black aura. She already distinguished that is was a Nevermore by the sound of its cry, lifting her left arm up at the diving Grimm.

Her bracer launched itself off her arm at an incredible speed, her right hand aiming the bracer at its beak. The bronze armor piece hit its mark, Pyrrha ready to throw the bracer along with the Nevermore into the ground with her semblance. However, it wasn't necessary when two elite Cizinec defects uncloaked themselves and jumped down from the trees. One stood over Jaune while the other next to Pyrrha, their weapons trained on the Grimm.

They began pelting it with their plasma assault rifles, Pyrrha removing her bracer from its beak. After both weapons emptied, one elite kneeled down while the other took out a knife. It had a serrated edge while the spine had a clean cutting edge. The elite ran towards the kneeling one, his hands ready to support him.

The elite threw his partner up into the air, the knife-wielder flying towards the falling Grimm. He stabbed the incoming Grimm, his upward force and the Nevermore's downward force causing the knife to rip through the body. The Grimm didn't split fully due to the knife not penetrating deep enough, but its bone-like mask was completely shattered.

The Nevermore crashed into the forest a few meters away, already beginning to dissipate. The elite landed safely on top of a tree, the two re-cloaking themselves, and hiding away from the two Hunters who witnessed the strength of the elites against Grimm. Jaune helped himself off the ground, dusting himself off with his hands. "Well…that was something."

"Jaune…I understand, but it still doesn't change my mind. If you are still against me on this…" Pyrrha felt tears forming in her eyes and she purposely turned away from him, facing the encampment. "I think we should stay away from each other for a while."

She felt her heart ache in pain once she said it. Pyrrha didn't want to hear his reply, so she dashed off again into the forest and away from Jaune. The Huntress only heard her name in anguish before covering her ears once more.

_I'm sorry…I'm so sorry._

* * *

"We've been sitting here in silence for six minutes now." Weiss ranted, tapping her foot on the floor.

"You, start talking." Weiss demanded from Ruby, sitting both sisters down across from each other. Weiss sat on Ruby's right while Blake sat on Ruby's left. At first, Ruby didn't respond at all. She only glared at Yang, who squirmed in her seat because of it.

"Ruby Rose, I swear I will ban any and all types of sweets in your vicinity if you don't start explaining yourself this instant." Weiss threatened her partner, her arms crossed across her chest.

The younger sister finally broke her glare at Yang, moving it to Weiss. "I have nothing to explain. You should be asking _her_ to explain herself." Ruby hissed, saying the word in a disgusted tone.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose before turning to the blonde Huntress. "We aren't going to get anywhere like this. Can one of you just say something!?" The heiress snapped. Blake rose her hand before stating her piece of information.

"I know you won't like this Ruby or Yang, but I think you two should see a psychologist if one survived." Blake suggested to the two, the immediate stares from both siblings already telling of their response.

"I don't need a therapist. What I do _need_ is for you three to leave me alone and let me train." Ruby irritably replied. Weiss, though, agreed with Blake and her idea.

"Ruby, you have two choices, either talk to us or talk to a professional. Both you and Yang have post-traumatic stress disorder. Trust me, I know firsthand what it feels like." Weiss confessed, a bit reluctant. All three pair of eyes turned to their heiress, slightly astonished.

"Don't be surprised. My name was on their hit list since I was a child, remember? You don't walk out of multiple assassination attempts and expect to be yourself the next day." Weiss continued. "I'll say it again, either talk to us or talk to a professional."

Blake rose her hand once more before anyone spoke. "Weiss, it's most likely better if we leave them alone for a few minutes."

Weiss nodded and placed a hand on Ruby's shoulders. "You're choice, team leader." She stood up, holstering the empty Myrtenaster, and exiting the tent with her cat Faunus friend. The two stood outside the tent, letting the afternoon sunshine beam on their heads.

The two guarded the entrance of the tent, Weiss enjoying the fact she could finally take a shower. After a few minutes, Blake broke the silence between them. "Hey, uh, sorry…" Blake suddenly apologized.

"For…?" Weiss asked, perplexed at Blake.

She hesitated for a second prior to replying. "I…might've…partook in one of the attempts…" Blake peered to the Schnee heiress, ready for the predicted outburst or lecture.

Weiss, though, rolled her eyes and was unfazed by the reveal. "I realized after your disappearance act. I never forget a face of an assassin. I wasn't sure at first but after some memory searching, I remember a particular black-haired cat Faunus around my age escaping into a van. As you can expect, I wasn't exactly ecstatic, but I didn't hold a grudge about it."

She held up her hand and balled it into a fist, pointing it at Blake in a relaxed state. Weiss had a tint of pink on her face as she waited for Blake to return the gesture. "Like you said, you've changed. I expect you to be the bodyguard now if the White Fang try it again."

Blake held in a small giggle, giving Weiss the fist-bump she wanted. "I see Yang and Nora do it a lot, along with Demon and the Perfect Soldier, okay. Don't laugh." Weiss stated, the shade of pink being more apparent than before.

"Whatever you say, Weiss." Blake smirked, her amber eyes turning away and finding Pyrrha running into team JNPR's tent. She casually ignored it, knowing her team would support her, until Pyrrha walked out of the tent ten minutes later with her weapons and chest of possessions.

The red-haired Huntress walked the dozen meters across to RWBY's tent, vague tear marks on her cheeks. "D-Do you guys have room for one more?" Pyrrha nervously inquired, forcing herself to smile.

Both Huntress immediately noticed her disheveled and exhausted appearance. Blake took the chest off Pyrrha's hands against her will while Weiss went next to her old friend. "What happened to you? Who did it?" She quickly interrogated. "Blake, put the chest inside and get Jaune."

"Wait, wait, it's nothing." Pyrrha assured them, though it wasn't convincing in the slightest. A lightbulb shined bright in Weiss' head before crossing her arms.

"What did Jaune do?" Weiss questioned. Blake turned to Weiss and then back to Pyrrha, shocked at what she was implying. The very thought of Jaune hurting Pyrrha never crossed her mind because it was absurd and impossible. Once Jaune finally stopped trying to flirt with Weiss, the partners were almost inseparable. Blake assumed something serious must have happened between the two to cause Pyrrha to act like this.

The tear-stained redhead shifted her weight from side to side. "I…don't feel comfortable talking about it now. It's okay if you don't have room for me…I'll find another place to stay at." Pyrrha reached out to Blake to retake her wooden chest, but the Faunus refused to give it back.

"Nonsense, come make yourself at home." Weiss gestured Pyrrha to follow her inside.

"Try to stay quiet, though. Yang and Ruby are still trying to work things out." Blake mentioned, escorting her inside. The three found Ruby and Yang in the same spot as before, no words being exchanged between the two.

Weiss just sighed and approached the siblings, ready to give them another lecture. Pyrrha trailed behind Blake, inspecting the tent to verify if they truly did have room for her. Blake set down the chest next to her own, the small space even more cluttered then before.

Pyrrha scanned the small tent, already contemplating about taking back her things. Before Pyrrha could voice her concerns, Blake gave her an assuring smile and pointed outside of the tent. The two strolled out the tent without Weiss, who was still scolding the two.

"Blake, you really don't have to-" Pyrrha insisted prior to Weiss exiting the tent and interrupting her with a hefty sigh.

"If this war doesn't kill me, those two will." She complained, walking past her two close friends. The heiress turned around and gave Pyrrha a small grin. "As Ruby would say, time for some girl talk."

* * *

**A/N: I believe Pyrrha's inspired character, Achilles, was an only child so no brothers or sisters for le Pyrrha. For those sword wielders, the sharpening style is old fashioned, but that's how I imagine the NIkos family doing stuff. Tradition and what not. We see the Cizinec Elites in action too!**

**R&amp;R and have fun!**


	20. Training Camp III

Ira strolled into the Cizinec defect checkpoint, the sun barely gracing itself in the night sky. His eyes reverted back to its original color of dark violet before entering the checkpoint, Ira's armor camouflaged with the darkness. The elite guards greeted Demon with their salutes. Every defect noticed the presence of the former commander of the king's personal guard, nodding at each passing soldier.

He soon arrived at a silent, beige tent owned by Gilgamesh. Ira cautiously made his way to his bed and stripped off his armor, leaving only the black linen clothing on. His toned body showed through it, able to attract any female to at least gander at him for a good minute. "Welcome back."

The Demon turned, recognizing the Perfect Soldier's voice behind him. His dark violet eyes glanced over his shoulders to find Luxuria covered in a thin white robe, her womanly features being unable to hide fully, and holding a hairbrush.

"Have you dealt with General Ozpin?" She asked, her sky-blue aura shining brightly for a second before leaving her body. It gathered above her head, creating the halo that the majority of Beacon's students have associated with the winged Faunus.

"Yes, along with the traitors." Ira responded, cracking his neck and shoulders.

Luxuria sat on his bed, brushing her ultra-pink hair. She paused for a second, her gaze lowering to the ground. "…and Invidia?"

Ira removed his armor from the bed and placed each piece on his wooden armor stand. His large claymore leaned against it, the dim light from the golden chandelier above reflected of the metal. "Burned." He responded, using the language of the Cizinec Sovereignty.

He laid down on his bed, Luxuria sitting on the edge and facing towards her resting boyfriend. "I see…" The winged Faunus placed her brush on his nightstand before standing up and walking back to Gilgamesh's bed. "Training starts in a few hours." She muttered before snuggling back under the blankets with the King, falling back asleep.

* * *

Ruby twisted and turned under her sleeping bag, unable to return to her dreamland because of her body's internal clock. She rose up from her bag, dried drool near her lip. Crescent Rose rested near her side, Ruby taking a moment to feel the cold metal before yawning and stretching her arms.

"Ruby, check this out!" Nora whispered excitedly, holding her scroll in front of her face the second she stopped yawning. On the scroll was a picture of Ren sleeping with his arm around Nora, a grin on his face. Nora, on the other hand, was wide-awake with a grin from ear to ear and bags under her eyes.

"Aren't we just perfect!? Of course we are, I mean how can we not? We look grand!" Nora beamed at the sleepy Ruby.

Looking at the picture reminded her of where she was in the first place, in JNPR's tent with Ren, Nora, and Jaune. After finding out about Pyrrha's need to stay in their tent due to her fight with her now ex-boyfriend, Jaune, Ruby volunteered to leave the tent and stay with JNPR. She quickly vacated her spot to the red-haired Huntress under disapproval of Weiss and Blake due to it not helping her situation and problems with Yang.

Unknown to either of them, Yang and Ruby already said what needed to be said when they were left alone. Ruby explained to her sister that she needed to avenge her friends and live up to her name of being a Huntress, even if it meant her death, just like her mother. The Huntress blamed herself for everything, feeling that she could have saved her friends and Invidia if she was stronger, faster, better. Yang, of course, did her best to try and dissuade her but Ruby already made up her mind.

Ruby gave Nora an approving nod and stood up. At this point in her normal life, she would prepare to do her morning run around Beacon for her daily exercise. Knowing that military training starts in the afternoon, she held off her routine. The silver-eyed Huntress truly missed her normal life, being a normal girl with normal knees. She especially misses her wireless headset and her black sleeping mask, the two helping her fall asleep.

She stepped outside the tent once she put on her combat skirt, since sleeping with it was very impractical and just plain difficult. Ruby stared up at the orange sky, the sun rising behind the clouds.

The lone Huntress pivoted away from the sun and towards the dining area, slightly not ready for today's MRE. Ruby observed the random civilians leave their tents as she made her way there. Some of them seemed drowsy, but Ruby saw that they were still very afraid. In their defense, who wouldn't be? The situation is going to get much, much worse and the team leader knows it.

After arriving, a few fellow Hunters and Huntresses noticed Ruby and greeted her with a nod or a wave. She took her rations and secluded herself in a corner, away from the rest of her schoolmates. Her mind focused on the techniques she learned during the summer break, prepared to show off her skills to Luxuria. Soon, the rest of her sleepy friends showed up to eat their breakfast. Jaune trailed far behind from the rest of the group while Pyrrha lead the pack.

Ruby's eyes met with Yang's before turning away, still upset at her. Weiss and Nora sat to her sides, carrying their MREs. The younger sister sat quietly as both teams conversed with each other, Ruby just awaiting for the training camp to commence.

* * *

_One Month Later_

"What do you think, my liege? It seems that the Vale's elites have prospered to be fine warriors." Ken Pardus pointed out, standing beside the King as they both watched the trainees from afar. The group of Hunters and volunteers used a small clearing half a mile away from the Cizinec checkpoint as a training ground.

Gilgamesh sat on a thick tree branch in the forest, his crimson red eyes carefully surveying his closest friends' progress on the students' skills. He didn't respond to Ken's question, watching a few selected people.

The Signifier raised an eyebrow under his helmet and turned to his highness. "Has someone interested you, my liege?"

Gilgamesh smirked and leaned his head against his hand. "Quite so, it amazes me how such a primitive kingdom can produce powerful units." He praised, witnessing Yang and Cardin working together to fight Nora and another individual.

Throughout the month for the Close Combat section, they sparred against one another without their weapons. With only the armor they wore, the Aura they've unlocked, and the semblances they've acquired, the rookies learned how to fight with their bare hands. Their instructor, the Demon, figured that one day, somehow and some way, their swords, shields, spears, or hammers will be lost or unusable. Fighting with their weapons took only a small part in their training under Ira, but they eventually also learned a few tips and tricks with them as well.

Long Range section of the recruits had it worse. Luxuria was a former Paragon, the highest rank in the Cizinec military. She was also very strict when it came to her drills and exercises. Each section would spend three hours of their time with their main instructor and one hour with the other. Within those three hours, the winged Faunus would manage to even tire out the 'Invincible Girl' Pyrrha and the energetic Ruby.

"They are primitive compared to us, aren't they? In terms of scientific achievement, we have surpassed them by at least a hundred years." The Signifier guessed, cringing slightly when Nora begun to bend Cardin's legs the wrong way.

Gilgamesh kept his eyes, however, on two exceptional individuals. He kept track of their improvements throughout the month and studied their lineage. The blonde noted that this is the last day for many of the Hunters and Huntress' basic military training. After this, they choose on the position they would specialize in. The King, in terms of specialization, taught only one class.

"Notify Luxuria that I have chosen Weiss Schnee and Pyrrha Nikos." He commanded, the crimson red eyes spying at the two. Both were in the middle of their third lap around the small clearing as punishment for not hitting Luxuria once with Miló or glyphs. To their defense, Pyrrha and Weiss forced the winged Faunus to take them seriously, which she hasn't done since the insurrection.

The Signifier bowed to his king before cloaking and jumping off the tree branch. Gilgamesh waited until the defects that assisted Ira and Luxuria blew a loud whistle. The two groups stopped what they were doing and immediately lined up in front of the winged Faunus, ready to address them.

"As of this moment, it has been a month since your training has begun. As expected, many of the Hunters and Huntresses have fulfilled the basic training requirements along with some Aura-using prodigies from the volunteers." Luxuria announced to the group, cheers and smiles dawning on their faces.

The winged Faunus let them celebrate for a few seconds before continuing. "All qualified personnel shall go to the Cizinec checkpoint and await further instructions. The rest of you shall continue your training."

The crowd began to disperse, Ken appearing beside Luxuria and notifying her about Gilgamesh's words. She chuckled to herself, correctly predicting the King's choice of students. "I'll tell them personally after today's training. Rendezvous back to camp and give them the usual run down." She handed him a list before returning to the rest of the volunteers.

"Cross them out of the list!" She yelled out, walking away.

* * *

Yang had her hands behind her head, traversing through the woods with the excited group of Hunters. Her lilac eyes stared up at the bright sky, the sun shining bright on her face. The blonde kept a steady pace until she felt a tap over her shoulder.

Behind her was Blake, a small smile on her face and her black bow covering the Faunus features only her closest friends knew about. "You seem happy." Yang pointed out, facing her partner.

"It's only because I don't have to be thrown down into the dirt by either you, Nora, or Demon anymore." Blake grinned, her amber eyes searching in the crowd for the rest of their friends. "I actually don't know what to feel right now..." She admitted to the blonde.

"What do you mean?" Yang inquired, slowing her pace to match Blake's and walking beside her.

"Look around Yang, we're teenagers preparing for war. We have teens who haven't even reached puberty and elderly who are too frail to lift their weapons still training behind us. This isn't how I imagined our last year together at Beacon." Blake confessed, her cat ears drooping down under her bow.

Yang lowered her arms to her sides. Her lilac eyes found the red cloak of Ruby immediately, having a one-sided conversation with Nora. "I get it. No matter how old Ruby gets, I will always see her as my baby sister; the one who rode sleepily in my little red wagon and who loved cookies more than anything in the world."

"Ruby is getting stronger day after day and I'm happy about it, but watching her shooting and slicing human-like training dummies with the intent to kill breaks my heart." Yang muttered under her breath.

The blonde watched as Weiss jogged behind Ruby and began to lecture her about not visiting their tent as frequent as she should, being their team leader. _At least she's smiling now…_ Yang thought to herself.

The Huntress took a deep breath and pushed out the depressing feeling inside of her. "So, Blake, what are you planning to choose as your specialization? I know what I'm choosing!" Yang asked, grinning at the cat Faunus.

Blake thought for a minute, the group of Hunters and prodigies making their way past the tree line and into the checkpoint. The partners found their friends happily chatting about random things. "Well, I don't really know. I sort of want to wait and see what everyone else chooses." Blake responded.

The group waited for their next set of orders, surveying the defected Cizinec soldiers around them. They never really got this close to any of them before and the Vale citizens thought that they would be stricter, unsociable, and almost robotic due to the declaration of war video. Instead, the Cizinec soldiers were playing cards with one another or having arm-wrestling competitions. Some were even openly drinking alcohol while on duty.

What surprised the Hunters, though, was the amount of Faunus and humans interacting with each other with no sign of hate in their voices or body language. It seemed that in the Cizinec Sovereignty, Faunus were treated with equal respect as anyone else; something that isn't found in any of the four known kingdoms. Blake wished that she could find this kind of behavior in every society.

Suddenly, a loud yell in the Cizinec's language echoed through the checkpoint. All of the nearby soldiers stopped what they were doing and stood straight, drunk or not. An elite officer waved his hands and the soldiers returned to their activities, the Hunters facing the elite that stopped in front of them.

His helmet retracted into his infiltrator suit. The elite had black hair and brown eyes, a tattoo visible to the Hunters on the left side of his neck. "First, good job on completing basic training. Be honored to be taught by Cizinec's greatest warriors, Demon and Perfect Soldier." He started, a heavy, but understandable accent as he attempted to speak English.

"My name is Ken Pardus, Signifier of this Special Missions Company. Now the next two months will hone the talents you learned in training, gain new skills, and interact with the Cizinec soldiers around you. Copies of the list of different specialization will be handed out momentarily. All of you will choose one and will report to the designated location and commander at oh-six-hundred."

The elite gave the closest person the stack of papers to hand out. "Choose wisely, the outcome of this war depends on the Hunters and Huntress' ability to do their jobs. That is all, everyone except Jaune Arc, Ruby Rose, Blake Belladonna, and Lie Ren is dismissed."

The four friends stayed behind, wondering why the commander specifically called them. The other members of both teams went their separate ways to do their own tasks of either resting, eating, or taking a shower. Once the area cleared out, Ken approached the four to explain.

The Signifier faced Ruby, Blake, and Ren. "After reviewing your performance, you have been chosen to be a part of this company's Wolfpack Platoon. Tomorrow morning, you will report right back here to meet your commander."

Those of the Cizinec that overheard their conversation stopped and stared at the three Huntresses. To this Special Missions Company, the Wolfpack Platoon holds the strongest, fastest, and smartest elites in the 442nd Siege Division. The three Hunters could already feel the inspecting and judging eyes from the soldiers. Blake spoke up, unsure about some specific details.

"Why were we the only ones picked? There are other people who are just as, if not more, qualified than we are." Blake inquired, Ren agreeing with a nod.

"The Wolfpack Platoon is an elite-only unit capable of doing everything the rest of the company can't, which also includes covert operations. The Perfect Soldier feels that you three possess the skills to do that along with abilities that are very desirable for the Wolfpack unit." Ken explained, before turning to Jaune.

The blonde Hunter stood there with his ragged clothing and ruffled hair, caused by the thrashing he received earlier by a high-ranking police officer that ended up being a prodigy. "As for you, it states that you must meet with Demon after today's training session."

Jaune scratched the back of his head, wondering what Ira would want with him. The Hunter knows that compared to the majority of the soldiers-in-training, he wasn't doing so great. The practice fights with Pyrrha in the past three years definitely improved his fighting techniques, but he can't compete with other Hunters and Huntresses who know how to properly use their semblance. He doesn't know what his semblance could be and the blonde doesn't know if he would ever find out.

Ken took the silence as an understanding and dismissed the four Hunters and Huntresses, leaving to attend to other matters. Ren placed a hand on Jaune shoulder gave him an assuring smile to relieve his pondering mind. Blake reached out to Ruby as she was about to depart, wanting to speak with her rather than having meaningless greetings in-between meals or breaks time.

Ruby stopped and grinned, the cat Faunus delighted to see her as she was before this semester started. "So what's it like living with Jaune, Nora, and Ren?" Blake asked, the two slowly strolling through the Cizinec checkpoint.

"I expected more 'boops' and less sleeping, but I'm definitely not complaining." Ruby responded, her hands together behind her back. Jaune and Ren were behind them, conversing about their own things.

Blake shuddered slightly, remembering the story Pyrrha and Jaune shared about their supposed perfect date; which was ruined by poor hotel room placement. "I-I guess it's because Jaune and Pyrrha…you know." Blake whispered so that the blonde wouldn't over hear.

Ruby agreed with her, fiddling with her Crescent Rose behind her back. "I feel bad for him, but I'm on Pyrrha's side on this. If she wants to fight, then Jaune should let her. It's her choice."

A sound of a truck engine overshadowed Blake's sigh, her eyes focusing on her shorter friend. "Yang just wants to make sure you're safe. You can't keep ignoring her every time she's near you." Blake scolded, crossing her arms.

"I can't forgive her for what she said, Blake. Dad isn't dead. He's strong, smart, and the best person in the entire world. Uncle Qrow will make sure that he arrives here with everyone's families, especially Zwei." Ruby described.

The cat Faunus' ears dropped under her bow once more, not agreeing with her optimism. She wanted to believe in their team leader, but it just wasn't statistically possible. No one from either teams has heard anything about the whereabouts of their families. It's been over a month since the declaration of war and with no reliable source of food, water, and shelter, not even the strongest survivalist can live.

Blake felt the need to change the subject, unable to reply to Ruby's comment. "How's Jaune holding up?" She asked, peering over her shoulder to him.

The silver-eyed Huntress did the same thing, eyeing him from a few meters away. "He tried to kiss me a few days after the break up." Ruby responded, making Blake stop in her tracks out of shock and confusion.

Ruby took Blake's arm and forced her to keep walking forward to avoid suspicion from the Cizinec soldiers and, more importantly, from Jaune. "He what!? Why!? How could he!?" Blake muttered in quick succession under her breath, her amber eyes darting from Jaune to Ruby repeatedly. The blonde boy was head-over-heels about Pyrrha, vowing to protect her and be by her side whenever she needed him. Blake couldn't believe that he would even attempt to try and kiss Ruby, especially knowing what would happen once Yang found out.

"It's fine, I slapped him the moment it happened. He's not doing so well emotionally." The two picked up the pace from a slow crawl to a normal walk. They sidestepped away from a few transport trucks that passed by them, red crosses marking them as medical trucks.

"Obviously, don't let anyone know. He apologized right after and hasn't done anything since." Ruby admitted. She let go of Blake and continued their pace out of the checkpoint and up the hill to the camp. "How about Pyrrha?"

Blake continued to stare at Jaune, unsure of how to take the sudden news. "She's been crying every night since then. She tries to hide it, but it's pretty obvious because of my ears." The two sighed simultaneously. They could only imagine how Pyrrha would react if she found out Jaune tried to kiss ruby. Ruby and Blake continued to climb silently up the hill, cresting it after a minute.

The two were about to go their separate ways when a very familiar voice called out to them. Ruby and Blake both swiveled their heads to the sound, wondering if their ears were fooling their minds.

"Well, well, if it isn't Beacon's prodigy and former terrorist."

* * *

**A/N: Hello guys, how are you guys doing? Check out my first chapter's Author Notes for current updates/details about the story! Guess who could be calling Ruby and Blake out? The next few chapters are going to be great! In other news, how many of you saw the RWBY panel!? Winter looks amazing and so does Qrow! I can't wait for the new team ABRN as well! I CAN'T WAIT FOR VOLUME 3! Read and Review! Have Fun!**


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